| Abstrakt: |
Introduction: nurses in their daily work face high levels of stress and emotional burden, often experiencing aggression, which is considered one of the main threats in healthcare facilities. In addition to the challenges associated with the work environment, the problem of adultism arises - discrimination and prejudices directed against younger workers, rooted in the belief in the superiority of adults over youth based on age. Adultism can result in the marginalization of young nurses, disregard for their opinions and needs, and non-recognition of their competencies, creating obstacles in the professional adaptation process for newly graduated nurses. Aim: Identification of barriers in the professional adaptation process faced by newly graduated nurses when transitioning to professional practice. Material and methods: The study involved 105 nurses with no more than five years of work experience, recruited via social media. The study was conducted using a proprietary survey questionnaire containing questions about the frequency, types, and causes of aggression in the workplace. Results: 82% of newly graduated nurses encountered aggression at work, with the vast majority (69%) citing adultism as the cause. A significant impact of age on the occurrence of aggressive behaviors was confirmed (p=0.009), with older coworkers (39%) and patients (34%) as the predominant aggressors. Spreading rumors about them by more experienced staff(92%), uneven distribution of tasks (81%), public highlighting of mistakes (70%), and infantilization (61%) were particularly burdensome for young nurses. A significant relationship between adultism and workplace aggression was demonstrated (p=0.008), where individuals experiencing adultism were more often victims of aggression from older colleagues (49.30% compared to 17.65%). Difficult relationships between employees (69%), conflicts over schedules and salaries (65%), and overload of duties (58%) worsened the work atmosphere. Experiencing aggression was associated with lower job satisfaction (p=0.019) and an increased tendency to consider changing employment (p=0.005), underscoring the negative impact of impaired interpersonal relationships on the adaptation process of young nurses. Conclusions: Difficult interpersonal relationships constitute a significant source of occupational stress and negatively affect the overall well-being of nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
