Workplace violence and sleep disorders in emergency nurses: a multicenter cross-sectional study

Background: Emergency nurses are at high risk of experiencing workplace violence (WPV), a significant global issue. Violence negatively impacts nurses' sleep quality. Objective: To investigate the prevalence of workplace violence and sleep disorders among emergency department (ED) nurses, and to explore their interrelationship, thereby providing evidence for developing strategies to reduce WPV and improve sleep quality. Methods: A stratified cluster sampling method was used to recruit ED nurses from 30 hospitals across mainland China between December 26, 2023, and January 18, 2024. Data were collected using a self-designed demographic questionnaire, the Workplace Violence Questionnaire, and the Self-administered Sleep Questionnaire (SSQ). Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression were employed to examine the relationship between WPV and sleep disorders. Results: < 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that psychological violence score, years of work experience, weekly working hours, night shift frequency, and marital status were independent predictors of sleep disorder severity. Conclusion: Emergency nurses face a high level of workplace violence, which significantly contributes to sleep disorders. Enhanced management strategies to prevent WPV and improve sleep quality are urgently needed.