Workplace violence and its effects on outpatient nursing care quality in Ghana: a qualitative study

Abstract

Background: Workplace violence against healthcare workers, particularly nurses, is a pervasive issue worldwide. Nurses working in various healthcare settings, including Outpatient Departments, often encounter verbal abuse, physical violence, bullying, and other forms of aggression from patients, relatives, or colleagues. The study explored the impact of workplace violence on nurses working at Outpatient Departments and the quality of care rendered at the Outpatient Departments among selected health facilities in the Ho Municipality, Ghana. Methods: A qualitative approach with an exploratory descriptive design was employed in this study. Purposive sampling was used to select 15 registered nurses with at least 1 year of working experience at the Outpatient Departments at the selected health facilities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Content analysis was employed for data analysis. Results: Four key themes were identified from the analysis: modes of workplace violence experienced, effects on nurses' well-being, patient care outcomes, and nurses' resilience to workplace violence. Nurses reported widespread verbal, physical, psychological, and emotional abuse. These experiences negatively affected nurses' well-being, contributing to emotional distress, health problems, and reduced productivity. Workplace violence also compromised patient care through reduced engagement, increased errors, and delayed or rushed services. To cope, nurses demonstrated resilience by relying on peer support, spirituality, and reporting mechanisms; however, these strategies appeared to provide mainly short-term relief. Conclusion: Workplace violence can impact Outpatient Departments nurses' well-being, productivity, and patient care quality. Verbal, physical, and psychological abuse were common, leading to emotional distress and compromised care. Strengthening workplace policies and support systems is essential to ensuring a safer and more effective healthcare environment.