Human Resources Flashcards
What is workplace violence as defined by the National Institute for Organizational Safety and Health?
Any act or threat of violence, including verbal abuse, threats, and physical assaults, directed toward any person while at work or on duty.
This definition encompasses various forms of aggression that can occur in the workplace.
What type of workplace violence is most common in healthcare?
Type 2, or violence directed toward nurses by customers or clients.
This type of violence is particularly prevalent in healthcare settings.
What percentage of nurses do not feel safe at work according to NIOSH?
80 percent.
Emergency department nurses are at especially high risk, with a significant number reporting assaults.
What is the association between verbal abuse and nurse burnout?
Verbal abuse is positively associated with nurses’ emotional exhaustion.
Emotional exhaustion is a key component of nurse burnout.
What is horizontal violence in the workplace?
Recurrent, unwanted, harmful, and intentional acts committed by one worker toward another that aim to humiliate, offend, and cause distress.
This type of violence can occur among healthcare staff, contributing to a toxic work environment.
What must healthcare leaders do to address workplace violence against nurses?
Appreciate the scope and magnitude of the problem.
Understanding the extent of workplace violence is crucial for effective management.
List the five priority areas identified to mitigate workplace violence.
- Encourage positive behavioral actions
- Implement policy actions
- Promote ownership and accountability
- Adopt training and education
- Evaluate success
These areas focus on creating a safer work environment for nurses.
What is the zero-tolerance approach in workplace violence policies?
An approach supported by organizational leaders that specifies consequences for policy breaches and prohibits all forms of workplace violence.
This policy aims to create a clear standard of behavior for all employees.
What percentage of the US nursing workforce belonged to a union between 1988 and 2005?
Approximately 19 percent.
This figure is slightly higher than the percentage of all US workers in unions during that time.
What are some reasons for nurses’ interest in union participation?
- Declining nurse staffing levels
- Recurring nursing shortages
- Increasing patient acuity
- Decreasing patient lengths of stay
- Decreasing reimbursements
- Layoffs
These factors have contributed to a renewed interest in unionization among nurses.
What effect do unions have on nurse wages in certain geographic markets?
Unions have been reported to increase wages for both union and nonunion nurses.
Nurses in highly unionized states earn significantly more than those in less unionized states.
How does unionization affect nurse staffing levels?
Approximately 18 percent more nurses work in the most unionized cities compared to the least unionized cities.
Increased staffing levels are associated with improved quality of care.
True or False: Patients cared for in unionized hospitals have a higher mortality rate than those in nonunion hospitals.
False.
Patients in unionized hospitals had a 5.7 percent lower mortality rate after risk adjustment.
What role do frontline managers play in nurse satisfaction and retention?
They shape nurse satisfaction and retention through open, honest, and consistent dialogue with nursing staff.
Effective communication can prevent union disagreements and improve workplace morale.
Fill in the blank: Nurses often seek out unions when they believe they do not have a ______ in issues that affect their work.
voice.
This lack of a voice can lead to feelings of undervaluation and intimidation.
