Einflussfaktoren auf die Rückkehr an den Arbeitsplatz nach Gewaltereignissen in Gesundheits- und Sozialberufen

Healthcare and social care workers are frequently affected by violence in the workplace. In order to guarantee a successful return to work after having experienced violence a sustainable professional support can be necessary; however, there is a lack of knowledge on the factors that influence this process. The aim is to identify facilitators and barriers to returning to work and to identify workplace support services.

A total of 115 full-text articles published between January 2000 and August 2022 were identified through a systematic search of 4 databases in Google Scholar and in reference lists. Of these, eight studies were included in the thematic analysis, six with a qualitative design and two with a mixed methods design.

Facilitating factors included social support from colleagues, supervisors or relatives, changes in the working environment and organization to ensure safety at work as well as individual coping strategies to regain a feeling of safety and control of the situation. Barriers included destructive social relationships within the team, such as a lack of trust, understanding or stigmatization. A lack of safety precautions and support services as well as unfavorably changed working conditions, such as a new location or position, can make it difficult to return to work. No research was identified on structural support services in the workplace or on return to work measures for victims of violence in the healthcare and social care sectors.

These findings highlight that the reintegration of workers following violent incidents is largely unexplored and is limited to the nursing professions. Due to the high prevalence in these sectors, there is an urgent need for more research on vocational rehabilitation after violent incidents and for tailoring it to the needs of the victims and the organization.