Abusive interactions and burnout: Examining occupation gender, and the mediating role of community

Two studies examined the association of gender and occupational group (nurs ing versus non-nursing) with perceived risk of abuse (sexual harassment and verbal and physical abuse) as well as the relationship of perceived abuse risk with burnout and sense of community. Study 1, comprising of two settin gs (tertiary care hospital, N = 3,062; psychiatric hospital, N = 383), foun d gender and occupational group associated with perceived risk of abuse (wo men felt greater risk than men; nurses felt greater risk than non-nurses). It also found a gender/occupational group interaction. Study 2, conducted a t an Irish tertiary care hospital (N = 892), found nurses felt at greater r isk for all three types of abuse than did non-nurses. Further, women percei ved themselves at greater risk for sexual harassment and verbal abuse than did men; the study found no gender difference regarding physical abuse. The analysis identified a gender/occupational group interaction for sexual har assment. The study considers methods of reducing perceived risk in regard t o the research literature on abuse at work.