Workplace Violence Against Turkish Intensive Care Physicians: A Cross-sectional Study

Objective: It was aimed to get the experience and opinions of intensive care physicians, who are health professionals who experience violence with increasing frequency. Materials and Methods: The questionnaire, consisting of 28 multiple choice and open-ended questions, was answered by intensivists across the country. Results: In the online questionnaire study, which was answered by 198 physicians, 44% male and 56% female, it was found that 86% of the physicians experienced violence in the hospital where they worked, and 47% were exposed to violence during their work in the intensive care unit. It was observed that the most common violence was verbal threats with and physical violence. Victims of violence stated that they mostly prefer to call hospital security (56%). It was determined that 65% of the violent incidents experienced were resolved by talking. The common view of the victims of violence and of the vast majority of all physicians was that the measures were insufficient and the violence would recur. Conclusion: Violence in health is increasing all over the world and in Turkey. The precautions to be taken should be aimed at the patients and their relatives, as well as the health workers and the health system itself.