J Nurs Manag. 2022 Mar 8. doi: 10.1111/jonm.13578. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
AIM(S): To analyse whether patient verbal aggression would be related to emotional exhaustion and whether this relationship would be mediated by work-family conflict and moderated by dehumanization and resilience.
BACKGROUND: Although patient verbal aggression has been identified as one of the most experienced forms of aggression, its effects on Italian healthcare providers during the pandemic are still poorly known.
METHOD(S): A total of 197 Italian healthcare professionals completed paper-and-pencil questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and moderated mediation analyses were performed.
RESULTS: Patient verbal aggression was positively related to healthcare professionals’ emotional exhaustion, both directly and indirectly, as mediated by work-family conflict. Healthcare providers were more likely to become emotionally exhausted when they had low resilience and, simultaneously, tended to ascribe patients non-uniquely human traits.
CONCLUSION(S): Patient verbal aggression may spill over onto healthcare professionals’ family lives. Dehumanization represents an ineffective coping strategy that exacerbate the effects of aggression on work-family conflict, while resilience represents a protective resource against emotional exhaustion.
IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Hospital organizations could benefit from providing their staff with stress management interventions, aggression management, psychological support, and psychological resilience training programs. These programs should incorporate coping skills on establishing work-home boundaries and balancing empathy with cognitive problem-solving abilities.
PMID:35258120 | DOI:10.1111/jonm.13578
