Circumstances, Patterns, and Reporting of Incidents of Workplace Violence among Resident Doctors Posted at Selected Departments of a Tertiary-Care Hospital in Kolkata, India

Abstract

Objective: Violence at work is a major cause of workplace inequality, discrimination, stigmatization, and conflict. The present study intends to describe the pattern of workplace violence (WPV) in a tertiary-level hospital in India with the objectives of discovering the magnitude of self-reported violence, its type, and the circumstances surrounding and response to such incidents. Material and Methods: The study is of a descriptive type. Its participants were either undergraduate or postgraduate residents at the selected hospital. The data collection tool was and a questionnaire adapted from that used in the World Health Organization’s Workplace Violence in the Health Sector Survey. The period of data collection was one month. Results: Three hundred and twenty two completed questionnaires were analyzed; 76.1% of respondents experienced violence at their workplace. The incidents of psychological violence were higher than those of a physical nature (63.1% vs. 42.9%, respectively). Psychological violence was significantly higher during day shifts and in outdoor or emergency room settings, while physical violence was common during night shifts and in indoor wards. Repeat incidents were more commonly associated with psychological violence. Even though most incidents were not reported, 96.0% of respondents considered WPV a major concern, and the improvement of security measures was most widely suggested as a solution to prevent violence at work. Conclusion: The high incidence of WPV in a tertiary healthcare setting reported in this study is in agreement with the findings of similar studies. Improving security measures and doctor- patient communication may help reduce such occurrences. Designing a robust reporting system and conducting regular and thorough audits of violent incidents can help boost the morale of healthcare staffs as well as plan preventive strategies.

Keywords

• doctors
• hospitals
• india
• workplace violence