Manifestations of occupational violence and coping strategies in a health institution

Abstract

This research aims to describe the manifestations of occupational violence and coping strategies to understand the
implications of violence in a health care institution in the city of Manizales, to recognize characteristics of the perpetrators and victims, and the reasons that motivate the violence to reveal the organizational and individual scope. The methodological approach implemented was quantitative, with an exploratory and descriptive design, supported by the survey technique where the Blanch Occupational Violence Questionnaire and the Modified Coping Strategies Scale were used as information collection instruments, which allowed to demonstrate the ignorance that workers have of the concept of violence, its existence, classifications, and physical and psychological consequences that it generates in people, affecting their personal, family and social dimensions. The workers of the institution providing health services are victims of type II occupational violence, perpetrated by users, and they make use of a group of coping strategies to protect themselves physically and psychologically from the negative effects generated by violence. The incidence of the presence and prevalence of violent incidents on the well-being of employees is also recognized, since the victims present physical and psychological symptoms during and after the assault.
Keywords: Occupational violence, psychosocial risk factors, coping strategies.