As a nurse, you expect to work in a safe and respectful environment. Sadly, sexual harassment remains a prevalent concern in the nursing profession and can have a profound impact on your well-being, career, and overall sense of personal and professional security.
In this article, we explore sexual harassment in the nursing profession, discussing the definition of sexual harassment, its prevalence, the reasons it keeps happening, its far-reaching effects, and prevention strategies.
Definition of Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment involves any form of unwanted verbal, non-verbal, or physical attention of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment can result in a hostile environment attracting a range of inappropriate behaviors, including offensive comments and gestures, unwanted physical contact or scrutiny, demands for sexual favors, or any other actions which make the recipient feel humiliated, intimidated, or violated.
Who Can Be a Victim of Sexual Harassment in Nursing?
Sexual harassment can happen to anyone regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or background. Any nurse can become a victim of sexual harassment, but research finds it more prevalent among women.
Types of Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment can occur in different forms, including:
- Verbal harassment – unwanted comments, innuendos, or suggestions of a sexual nature
- Physical harassment – unwanted touching or patting of body parts
- Visual harassment – unwelcome display of sexual posters, images, or other explicit materials
- Psychological harassment – ridicule, insults, or offensive language regarding one’s gender, sexual orientation, physical appearance, clothing, or other personal characteristics.
Prevalence of Sexual Harassment in Nursing
Statistics indicate that sexual harassment is widespread in nursing. Data compiled by the American Nurses Association show that more than half of nurses experience some form of sexual harassment during their careers. Several factors contribute to the continued prevalence of sexual harassment in nursing, including the gender imbalance in the profession, a lack of awareness of the problem, inadequate policies and procedures, or ambiguous accountability systems.
Reasons for Sexual Harassment in Nursing
Organizational factors including policies, cultures, and leadership behavior influence sexual harassment in nursing.
Some of the reasons include:
- Gender imbalances in the nursing profession, domination by male executives and insurance compensations not covering the issues.
- The nursing profession’s culture of silence, which makes nurses hesitant to speak out about their experiences with sexual harassment.
- Organizational responses which focus more on maintaining institutional reputation than addressing the harassment rather than the issue brought up.
- Lack of effective policy instruments and procedures to train, educate the employers
Effects of Sexual Harassment in Nursing
Sexual harassment can have a long-term impact on a nurse’s physical, emotional, and occupational health.
Physical Effects
Victims of sexual harassment may experience physical effects that can harm their health. Physical effects include exhaustion, headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, sleep disorders, chronic stress, and depression.
Psychological Effects
Sexual harassment can have a profound impact on a victim’s mental health. Depression, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, low self-esteem, and anxiety are some of the mental health issues that occur.
Effects on Career and Profession
Sexual harassment can have an impact on work productivity, absenteeism, and nurse retention.
Steps to Prevent Sexual Harassment in Nursing
Preventing sexual harassment requires a multifaceted approach that involves a range of strategies, including:
Policies and Procedures
Organizations must have clear anti-sexual harassment policies that define acceptable and unacceptable behavior, outline grievance procedures, and promote employee’s ability to report incidents without fear of retaliation.
Education and Training
Providing education and training to nurses, supervisors, and administrators on identifying, preventing, and addressing sexual harassment is critical.
Culture Change
Nursing organizations must work on creating a culture of mutual respect, effective communication, and zero tolerance against sexual harassment.
Reporting Mechanisms
Organizations must provide a variety of reporting mechanisms, including a hotline, online reports, in-person reporting to provide immediate resolution to the situation.
Addressing Sexual Harassment in Nursing
Nurses can take several steps to address sexual harassment in nursing, including:
- Encouraging fellow nurses to speak out about their experiences, and providing resources to victims such as counseling.
- Reporting the incident to the appropriate authorities, such as human resources.
- Speaking directly to a supervisor, nurse or another person to stop the harassment.
Conclusion
Sexual harassment affects everyone in the nursing profession. Addressing and preventing sexual harassment must be a collective effort from organizational level policies and procedures to individual nurse’s roles to support a healthy, safe, and respectful environment.
FAQs
Q. What is the definition of sexual harassment in nursing?
Sexual harassment in nursing is any form of unwanted verbal, non-verbal, or physical attention of a sexual nature.
Q. Who can be a victim of sexual harassment in nursing?
Sexual harassment can happen to anyone regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or background.
Q. What are the physical effects of sexual harassment in nursing?
Victims may experience physical effects such as headaches, exhaustion, gastrointestinal disorders, sleep disorders, chronic stress, and depression.
Q. What steps can be taken to prevent sexual harassment in nursing?
Prevention measures include implementing policies and procedures, education on sexual harassment and respectful workplace, changing organizational culture, and reporting mechanisms.
Q. What should I do if I experience sexual harassment in nursing?
Take immediate action, report it to the appropriate authorities, speak directly to a supervisor or another person to stop the harassment.
Q. What should I do if I witness sexual harassment in nursing?
Encourage the victim to speak out, provide support, and report the incident to the appropriate authorities.
Q. What are the policies and procedures for addressing sexual harassment in nursing?
Clear anti-sexual harassment policies that outline grievance procedures, define acceptable and unacceptable behavior are required to address sexual harassment.
Q. How can nurses create a culture that prevents sexual harassment?
Nurses can create a culture of mutual respect, effective communication, and zero tolerance for sexual harassment.
Q. Are there any legal protections for nurses who experience sexual harassment?
Laws and institutional policies protect individuals against sexual harassment in the workplace and provide recourse for victims.
Q. Where can I find resources for addressing sexual harassment in nursing?
The American Nurses Association (ANA), National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), and the EEOC provide resources for addressing and preventing sexual harassment in nursing.
