Citation

Boyle MJ, McKenna L. Nurse Educ. Pract. 2017; 22: 93-97.

Affiliation

Monash University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, 10 Chancellors Walk, Clayton 3800, Australia. Electronic address: Lisa.McKenna@monash.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.nepr.2017.01.001

PMID

28081497

Abstract

Paramedic students are hesitant to formally report exposure to acts of workplace violence as they feel it may jeopardise their chance of getting a job. The objective of this study was to identify the type and number of workplace violence acts experienced by undergraduate paramedic students whilst on an ambulance clinical placement. This was a cross-sectional study using the Paramedic Workplace Violence Exposure Questionnaire to obtain student exposure to acts of workplace violence which occurred whilst on ambulance clinical placements. The survey response rate was 29.8%. The students' average age was 24.1 years, median age of 23 years, range 18-47 years. There were 32.6% of students who were exposed to at least one act of workplace violence with 56% of these being females. Verbal abuse 18%, and intimidation 17% were the common acts of workplace violence students were exposed to. One female, a nursing/paramedic student, was exposed to sexual harassment on more than one occasion. The findings from this study suggest that paramedic students are exposed to similar rates of workplace violence as full time practising paramedics. Further research is required into workplace violence against students from all professions and what detrimental effect this may have on them.

Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Cross-sectional; Paramedic; Student; Workplace violence