Face-to-Face with Violence: Experiences of Emergency Nurses: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Aim: This study aims to understand how emergency department nurses experience workplace violence, to explore the effects of these experiences on individuals, and to reveal how violence is shaped within their professional lives.Material and Methods: This qualitative study used the interpretative phenomenological analysis design. Data were collected through semi-structured online interviews with 17 nurses working in emergency departments in western Türkiye, between August and December 2024. Audio recordings of the interviews were transcribed verbatim. The study employed criterion sampling, a type of purposive sampling. MAXQDA Analytics Pro 2022 software was used as a supporting tool for data analysis. Results: Analysis of the interview data identified five distinct subthemes: the definition of violence, situational and systemic causes of violence, the multifaceted effects of violence, existing and proposed measures to prevent violence, and coping strategies reported by participants. Conclusion: This study reveals the types of violence emergency nurses experience, their underlying causes, and the multidimensional effects of such violence. Most nurses reported being exposed to verbal or psychological violence at least once during their careers. The effects on nurses were observed in behavioral, physical, psychological, and professional areas. The study also emphasizes the need to strengthen legal regulations and implement deterrent punitive measures to prevent violence. These findings may guide future research and help develop strategies for preventing violence in clinical practice.