Sexual Harassment against Staff and Student Nurses in Tertiary Care Hospitals Peshawar K.P. Pakistan

Introduction: Sexual Harassment (SH) among nurses is a major problem for nurses and a direct threat to patient care. Sexual harassment is any form of unwanted verbal, non-verbal comments on dress and appearance. One reason is the existing gender issue that the majority of the nurses in Pakistan are female, that’s why female are more exposed towards harassment. Women try to hide SH due to Islamic modesty and cultural traditions. Secondly, once they decide to take action there is a lack of redress at organizational and government level.

Methodology: This paper provides a quantitative (descriptive) review that estimates exposure rates by type of harassment, awareness level of SH policy, contribution to raising voice and consequences on nurses and their performance at three tertiary care hospitals (LRH, KTH and HMC) in Peshawar covering a sample size of 150 through questionnaires.

Quantitative (descriptive study) among staff and student nurses

Results: 66% SH existence in hospital, 80% has experience, 65.3% respondent report incidence, management addresses the issue 33.3% but 70.7% are not satisfied from its measures, 50.7%, SH effect psychologically, 40.7% effect on performance, 8% effect on health. Mostly victimized by patient and their male visitors 55.3%, by doctor 25.3% by their colleagues 4.7% and by administration 14.7%.

Discussion and Conclusion: After having clear understanding of the concept of SH and its negative consequences on an individual, such advances can no longer be ignored. It’s a high time to reflect that how the nurses left nursing profession in fear of threats, harassment, or any type of violence. All the nurses have the right to work in a safe and healthy environment and take autonomous decision. Sexual harassment has extreme negative effects on nurse performance, health, morale, self-esteem and entire personality. Yet they often do not make formal complaints through internal organizational procedures or to outside bodies. The available law about the protection of women at work places must be imposed in its true spirit and laws in Pakistan penal code about the protection of the modesty of female must be made part of nursing education so as to educate them that the law provides them the right of life with chastity and modesty.