The language used when reporting interfemale violence among nurses in the workplace.
Violence appears to be ignored among nurses, in part, because of the metaphors and euphemisms used to identify this significant phenomenon. Nurses rarely use the term 'violence' and may use metaphors and euphemisms or generally ignore the terms usually associated with violence, such as victim, perpetrator, horizontal violence, bullying and mobbing when discussing violent behaviour among, and with, their female colleagues. The reluctance to use unequivocal language when discussing workplace violence contributes to the issue remaining poorly recognised and poorly addressed; and increases the negative impact of workplace violence on the health and wellbeing of the individual. Moreover, the language that is used to describe violence among female nurses often carries with it different connotations from those that may be common in general society. This paper draws upon data from the author's doctoral research study to report the language used to describe interfemale violence in the workplace; and the consequences of using that language.
Hockley
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Charmaine Hochley and Associates, Education and Training Services.
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D003142:Communication; D005007:Ethnology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007802:Language; D019365:Metaphor; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D016272:Occupational Health; D010379:Peer Group; D012107:Research Design; D012660:Semantics; D012919:Social Behavior; D012945:Social Values; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017132:Workplace