On International Nurses Day: nursing staff subject to verbal (81%) and physical abuse (26%)

The Order of Nurses in Lebanon organized yesterday, in Sin el Fil, a conference to mark International Nurses Day under the slogan ‘towards building bridges of communication and solidarity for nursing professionals between Lebanon and the Arab countries’. During the event which was sponsored by Health Minister, Wa2el Abu Faoor who was represented by Dr. Bahij Arbid, various data compiled by the Order until 31/12/2014 was presented. The data indicated that the Order had 12522 members, including 10070 women nurses and 2452 male nurses, while noting an increase in the number of the latter. Figures also showed that 84% of male and female nurses were working at hospitals, 4% at clinics and health centers and 2% were recruited by private companies. Also according to the above survey, 78% of those nurses were working in Lebanon and 5% abroad. Furthermore, some 46% were university graduates against 33% holding technical certificates and 19% a technical baccalaureate. The geographical distribution was as follows: 36% in Mount Lebanon, 25% in Beirut, 15% in the North, 8% in the Bekaa, 7% in Nabatiyeh District and the remaining 7% in the South. After the data presentation, Dr. Nuhad Dumit, assistant professor at Rafiq Hariri College of Nursing at the American University of Beirut, pointed out that the immigration of nurses from Lebanon is not only the result of an aspiration for better pay, but also for a more promising working environment and better working conditions. Search for career improvement and on-going education were also central. Dr. Mohamad Alameddine, an associate professor at the Faculty of Health Sciences, AUB, disclosed that 81% of nurses were subjected at least once to verbal abuse in one year and 26% to physical violence and this according to a study published in 2011 on ER departments at six main hospitals in Lebanon. Likewise, Matilda Azar, a lecturer at Balamand University revealed that 70% of participants in another survey that targeted some 1053 male and female nurses were subjected to violence one to five times every month. Studies indicated that physical abuse came mainly from patients, then their families, followed by physicians. Azar went on to say that violence is physically and emotionally distressing for nurses and could lead to poor nursing care, increased professional mistakes and a desire to drop the profession. (As Safir, An Nahar, Al Mustaqbal, 13 May 2015)