Opinions of nurse managers on impact of domestic violence on work life: a qualitative study.

backgroundDomestic violence is a pervasive issue that affects women regardless of language, religion, race, geography, culture or social structure.

objectiveThis study aimed to explore the perspectives of nurse managers on how domestic violence impacts employees' work lives.

methodThis research was conducted in design by using the qualitative research method. The necessary permissions from institutions and ethical committee approval have been obtained. The sample of the research was determined by maximum diversity method, one of the purposeful sampling methods. The sample of the research consists of 52 female nurse managers who work in different managerial positions, different experience and training, from three different hospital groups (a university hospital, a ministry of health hospital, and two private hospitals) in Turkey. The data collection process was terminated when data saturation was reached. The data were collected using a semi-structured interview form. Interviews were conducted face-to-face with nurse managers in hospitals. The interviews lasted for 63 min on average. The collected data were analyzed by content analysis method, and theme, sub-themes and codes were created.

resultsThis study was presenting results related to the theme of "reflections of domestic violence on work life." The results under this theme were explored through three subthemes: "how it is noticed that the employee is subjected to violence," "how domestic violence is reflected on work life," and "how the nurse manager approaches the employee who is subjected to domestic violence".

conclusionIn interviews conducted with nurse managers, it was observed that employees often hesitated to disclose that they were subjected to domestic violence; some only revealed their situation when they felt compelled to do so or when it was noticed by the nurse manager. The effects of domestic violence on work life were stated to have included absenteeism, physical inability to work, reduced team cohesion, performance decline, and difficulty adhering to work schedules. Nurse managers adopted several strategies to support employees affected by domestic violence, including managing other employees' attitudes, adjusting work arrangements, removing her from the environment, providing support (legal, psychological, sociological, and temporary accommodation), and ensuring security measures. The findings show that the necessity of developing institutional policies and protocols on domestic violence within healthcare settings, establishing early note and intervention mechanisms, and implementing structured training programs for nurse managers and healthcare professionals on this issue. Moreover, it is of great importance to integrate domestic violence prevention strategies into national health, family, and social policies. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.