Exploring the concept of non-violent resistance amongst healthcare workers

BackgroundNon-violent resistance which has involved healthcare workers has been instrumental in securing a number of health-related gains and a force in opposing threats to health. Despite this, we know little about healthcare workers who have engaged in acts of non-violent resistance.Research aimAm...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Essex, Ryan (Author) ; Aked, Hil (Author) ; Daniels, Rebecca (Author) ; Newton, Paul (Author) ; Weldon, Sharon (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Published: 2023
In: Nursing ethics
Year: 2023, Volume: 30, Issue: 1, Pages: 7-19
Further subjects:B Resistance
B Ethics
B Protest
B healthcare workers
B Healthcare
B Non-violent resistance
Online Access: Volltext (kostenfrei)
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Summary:BackgroundNon-violent resistance which has involved healthcare workers has been instrumental in securing a number of health-related gains and a force in opposing threats to health. Despite this, we know little about healthcare workers who have engaged in acts of non-violent resistance.Research aimAmongst a sample of healthcare workers who had engaged in acts of resistance this study sought to explore their understanding of non-violent resistance and how or whether they felt healthcare workers made a distinct contribution to such action.Research designCross-sectional surveyParticipants and research contextHealthcare workers (doctors, nurses, academics and others) from the UK and Europe who had engaged in acts of non-violent resistance.Ethical considerationsEthical approval for this study was granted by the University of Greenwich Human Research Ethics Committee (UREC/20.5.6.11).Findings/resultsMost participants spoke about the nature of non-violent resistance, its oppositional, didactic and symbolic functions and the role of violence or harm. While most people understood non-violent resistance as a public, oppositional and collective act, many identified more subtle everyday acts in the workplace that undermined policy or procedures they saw as harmful. When asked about distinctions in non-violent resistance carried out by healthcare workers, most participants referred to their standing in society, noting that healthcare works were a trusted and authoritative source. Some identified an ethical imperative to act while others identified the risks that came with such action, noting their accountability and responsibility they had to patients. About a quarter of participants felt that such action was no different to others carrying out non-violent resistance or dependent on the issue or nature of the action.ConclusionsThese findings speak to the complex and multifaceted nature of non-violent resistance. Additionally our findings suggest healthcare workers have a distinct role to play in leading and supporting non-violent actions.
ISSN:1477-0989
Contains:Enthalten in: Nursing ethics
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/09697330221122904