JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Patients’ sexual harassment against nurses is a worldwide phenomenon. Some forms occur on a daily to weekly basis. Despite the known high prevalence and its negative consequences, there is still a lack of evidence-based measures to prevent patients’ sexual harassment against nurses. Given the complexity of the problem, multidimensional interventions are required.

Objective:

The main objective of the StopSH project is to develop an evidence-based, complex intervention package to prevent patients’ sexual harassment against nurses and minimise its negative consequences for the acute care sector in the German-speaking part of Switzerland.

Methods:

This project is an intervention development study with a multi-method design. It involves the participative development and testing of a complex intervention package in one to two Swiss hospitals. The project is carried out in four project phases: A literature review, a problem and needs analysis, a development phase of the intervention package and a feasibility assessment.

Results:

The project was launched in February 2024 and is scheduled to last for three years. As of January 2025, this project is in phase 1. Data extraction of the included literature is ongoing. The StopSH project is expected to develop and test a complex intervention package for the prevention of patients’ sexual harassment against nurses. This intervention package is predicted to reduce the prevalence and negative effects of sexual harassment against nurses.

Conclusions:

The results of this project will provide important guidance for nurses, but also for their employers, and as such can contribute to the long-term reduction of sexual harassment against nurses. Clinical Trial: As this is an intervention development study, no trial registration will be carried out. However, the scoping review protocol by Bruschini et al. [1] is registered on the Open Science Framework (OSF).