Moderating Role of Violence by Patients andTheir Relatives on the Behaviors of HealthcareProfessionals

Abstract

Objective: Studies examining violent behaviors occurring in health settings emphasize direct effectsof the variables, and the findings are collected in a limited area. This study aimed to investigate therole of the moderator in the relationship between organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and jobsatisfaction in the setting of violent behavior by the patients and their relatives toward healthcareprofessionals. Methods: Research data were collected by face-to-face questionnaire method by interviewing theparticipants.The study included 512 healthcare workers, physicians, nurses, midwives, and healthtechnicians, working in different units of 13 public hospitals in Ankara and providing health servicesdirectly to the patients. Results: According to the results of the regression analysis, a significant and direct effect of the gen eral level of OCB that predicts the general level of job satisfaction has emerged (β = 0.284, t = 6.68,P < .001). It has been determined that violent behaviors toward healthcare professionals explain ap proximately 12.5% of the variance with its differentiating role reducing this effect (R² = 0.125, F =25.30, P = .001). Conclusion: This study showed that the positive contribution of OCB to job satisfaction is higher inhealthcare workers who are not exposed to violent behavior. The results of this study also revealedthat the relationship between variables regarding the attitudes and behaviors of healthcare profes sionals may differ owing to the violence perpetrated by the patients and their relatives.