Occupational Violence in Primary Health Care Settings: An Integrative Review.

Abstract

In primary healthcare, workplace violence is a significant and expanding public health issue that jeopardizes both the quality of care and the health of employees. Nevertheless, there is still a dearth of evidence at this level of treatment. This article's goal is to locate and compile the available data on workplace violence among primary healthcare professionals, taking into account its frequency, contributing variables, effects, and preventative strategies. The Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, SciELO, and Virtual Health Library databases were used in an integrative review. Included were quantitative and qualitative research that were published in Spanish, English, or Portuguese within the previous five years. Analysis was done on fourteen papers. The findings indicated that the most common type of workplace violence was verbal. Having direct patient contact, working shifts, being a woman, and being a nurse or nursing technician were the most significant linked factors. Organizational repercussions included higher employee turnover and absenteeism; psychological repercussions included feelings of guilt, worry, and concerns about professional ability. There were few preventive measures put in place, and they mostly concentrated on communication skills training and surveillance. According to the review, verbal abuse in the workplace is very common and is caused by organizational, structural, and individual variables. Its effects impact organizational dynamics as well as psychological well-being, and there is still a significant lack of information about preventive strategies.