The Relationship Between Individual Social Responsibility and the Public's Intention to Act Violently Toward Nurses—A Cross‐Sectional Study

ABSTRACT

Aims

To explore (a) the associations between individual social responsibility and the public intention to use violence against nurses; and (b) the relationship between individual social responsibility, personal variables and the public's intention to employ violence against nurses.

Background

Workplace violence against nurses is a significant widespread occupational health issue. To date, no reference has been found to the association between personality traits such as individual social responsibility and the public's intention to use violence against nurses.

Design and Methods

A cross-sectional survey design with a convenience sample of 667 Israeli participants from among the public. A structured self-report questionnaire was distributed, including socioeconomic variables, individual social responsibility and responses to four vignettes describing incidents of violence directed at nurses. Multiple linear regressions were calculated for intention to employ violence, with demographic variables and individual social responsibility as independent variables. The STROBE checklist for cross-sectional studies was used for reporting.

Results

Negative correlations were found between individual social responsibility and the intention to employ violence against nurses. Gender, having witnessed physical violence and individual social responsibility explained 19% of the variance in the intention to employ violence against nurses. Demographic variables and having witnessed verbal or physical violence were found to moderate the association between individual social responsibility and the intention to employ violence against nurses.

Conclusions

Witnessing a violent incident in a healthcare setting is a risk factor for the intention to employ violence against nurses. Our findings point to the role of individual social responsibility as one of the strategies to help reduce violent events.

Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care

Educating and promoting values of social responsibility among the public can reduce incidents of violence in healthcare settings, thus contributing to the safety and quality of care provided.

Patient or Public Contribution

The public contributed via study participation.