The Relationship Between Verbal Violence and Psychological Stress Among Nurses

Objectives: Verbal abuse among healthcare professionals is a pervasive problem and workplace violence (WPV) is a prevalent phenomenon in the global healthcare business. This study aims to examine the relationship between verbal violence and psychological stress in Wasit City, Iraq. Methods: A correlational-descriptive study was conducted using a convenient sample of 248 nurses in Wasit City, Iraq. The data collected from November 5, 2023, to February 7, 2024, were based on a dual-part self-report questionnaire. The first part consisted of questions about participants’ traits, the second part covered verbal abuse in the health sector survey, and the third part included a job-related stress scale. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient of variance analysis was used for the data analysis. Results: The mean age for nurses is 29.6±6 years, and 53.6% of 46.4% were men. Approximately 49.2% of the nurses were exposed to moderate levels of verbal violence, as defined using the job-related stress scale. The mean psychological stress between men and women (63.7%) significantly perceived moderate psychological stress in the workplace. A strong positive relationship is observed between verbal violence and psychological stress among nurses at P=0.001. As exposure to verbal violence increased, stress levels also increased. Discussion: Nearly half of the nurses in this study experienced verbal abuse, and over half experienced psychological stress. The two have a close relationship. This implies a relationship between verbal abuse directed against nurses and stressful work environments. Future studies should examine this cause-and-effect link. Furthermore, since some registered nurses reported higher rates of violence than others, further studies should examine how an individual’s traits or workplace environment affect risk.