The findings of a recent Royal College of Nursing (RCN) study show that verbal abuse, intimidation and attacks are still very real threats faced by community based nurses on a regular basis.
The study was conducted jointly by the RCN and Sheffield Hallam University and involved nearly 800 RCN members taking part in a web-based questionnaire eliciting responses using quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The study provided some worrying statistics for NHS staff that regularly carry out lone working as part of their jobs:
• Over 60% of nurses taking part have been subjected to abuse in the last two years.
• Over 10% have been victims of physical abuse over the same time period.
• Nearly 40% felt risk to lone workers has increased in the last two years.
• Over 35% felt factors such as increased substance abuse was contributing to that risk.
Nearly half of the nurses who took part in the study did not feel that their employer would take any action over verbal abuse, and over 25% of respondents remained unconvinced over whether their employer would take the necessary action in the result of a physical assault. In fact over half of those nurses surveyed admitted to feeling less safe when conducting out of hours visits. Commenting on the report findings, the RCN’s chief executive & general secretary, Dr Peter Carter said: “I am utterly appalled that nurses continue to be subjected to violence. This is all the more upsetting when we consider that nurses are being attacked when they are trying to help people.”
