Work place violence against resident doctors of a tertiary care hospital in Delhi, India

Abstract

Background: Workplace violence is much prevalent across the globe in almost all institution dealing directly with general public and hospitals are no exception to it. Hospitals have high incidence of work place violence because it caters a service which attaches the emotional aspect of the patient and their escorts. The present study aims to evaluate this important issue qualitatively and quantitatively.Methods: Hundred resident doctor of clinical discipline were interviewed, and response filled in pre-designed questionnaire between 1st February 2017 to 28th February 2017.Results: A large portion of study population i.e.68% was worried about violence at the work place. Junior residents faced both physical (10.9%) and psychological violence (84.3%). Very few participants out of the study population (8%) have training in managing conflicts. About 92 (61.3%) respondents were not aware of any violence prevention policy at their workplace, 45 (30%) had no idea whether it exists or not.Conclusions: A significant proportion of the violence encountered in the clinical setting is perpetrated by relatives of the patients and it is more prevalent when gang members are present, especially in evening and night time. Most of the physical aggression and a significant proportion of the verbal aggression experienced by doctors are the result of negative media guide, poor communication, and long waiting period, presence of gang members and generally regard clinical issues arising from patient care. Training the resident doctors in good working practices, effective communication and alternative methods of resolving conflicts is generally seen as the way to reduce the likelihood of this type of aggression.