# Surgical nurses’ perceptions of experienced sexual harassment behaviors

## TL;DR

This study explores how surgical nurses in Türkiye experience and perceive sexual harassment, highlighting the need for better workplace protections.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the prevalence and factors associated with sexual harassment among surgical nurses in Türkiye.

## Key findings

- Over half of surgical nurses reported prior exposure to violence, with nearly half experiencing sexual violence.
- Female nurses had significantly higher perception scores of harassment than male nurses.
- Most harassment incidents were reported by patients and their relatives, but legal action was rarely taken.

## Abstract

Nurses who are in continuous interaction with patients and their relatives may occasionally be exposed to harassing behaviors. Surgical nurses, who often have prolonged patient contact due to the shift system, constitute a significant proportion of the overall nursing workforce. This study aimed to identify the sexual harassment behaviors experienced by surgical nurses working in Türkiye, the perceived severity of these behaviors, and the related factors.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 302 surgical nurses between March 28, 2023, and February 28, 2024. Data were collected via an online questionnaire distributed through social media platforms using Google Forms. The instruments included a Descriptive Characteristics Form, the Sexual Harassment Behaviors of Care Workers by Patients or Clients Scale (12 items; verbal, observed, and physical subscales), and an Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Sexual Harassment Form. The study was approved by the Üsküdar University Non-Interventional Research Ethics Committee (Decision No: 03, Approval Date: 28 March 2023). Non-parametric tests (Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis) were performed, with significance set at p < 0.05.

Among surgical nurses, 53.6% reported previous exposure to violence, and 48.1% reported sexual violence. The most frequently identified perpetrators were patients and their relatives (59.3%). While 40.7% of nurses reported harassment to a manager, only 32.3% stated that legal action was taken. Female nurses had significantly higher overall perception scores than males (p = 0.010). Perception scores were also significantly associated with education level, marital status, prior exposure to violence or sexual violence, and perpetrator identity (p < 0.05). Subscale analyses showed consistent patterns across verbal, observed, and physical harassment dimensions.

Sexual harassment remains a critical issue among surgical nurses and is often underreported. Institutional support mechanisms, training, and confidential reporting systems are essential to ensure workplace safety and protect nurses’ well-being.

Not applicable (observational study; no healthcare intervention on human participants).

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12912-025-04202-6.