Impacts of experiencing workplace violence in clinical settings on nursing students' education and professional commitment: A qualitative study

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to identify the impacts of experiencing workplace violence in clinical settings on nursing students' education and professional commitment.

Design/methods: A descriptive qualitative study design was used. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.

Settings: The study was conducted in the nursing program at a state university in Türkiye.

Participants: The study was conducted with 12 nursing students.

Results: It was determined that students experienced physical, verbal, and psychological violence in clinical practice, primarily perpetrated by patients, patients' relatives, and nurses. Five main themes were generated from the data: (I) Forms of violence, (II) Justifications for violence, (III) Impacts of experiencing violence, (IV) Behavioral reactions to violence, and (V) Suggestions for preventing violence.

Conclusion: It was found that experiencing workplace violence in clinical settings had a negative impact on nursing students' academic processes and professional commitment. It is recommended that joint procedures be developed in collaboration between universities and healthcare institutions to establish a supportive and safe clinical learning environment.

Keywords: Clinical practice; Clinical setting; Nursing education; Nursing students; Professional commitment; Workplace violence.