Verbal abuse among prehospital nurses in a developing country setting

Background Verbal abuse is a common form of workplace violence in prehospital emergency settings, with nurses being particularly affected. In Vietnam, data on this issue remain limited. Objective This study aimed to assess the prevalence, characteristics, risk factors of verbal abuse against nurses in prehospital emergency care, and to explore prevention strategies from the perspective of nurses. Methods A mixed-methods design was employed. The quantitative component surveyed 600 nurses at the Ho Chi Minh City 115 Emergency Center and 23 satellite hospitals. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used for analysis. The qualitative component involved an open-ended question and inductive content analysis. Results A total of 72.8% of nurses reported experiencing verbal abuse, primarily at emergency scenes (63.2%) and perpetrated by patients’ relatives (95.9%). Overtime work was identified as an independent risk factor (aOR = 1.6; p = 0.017). Qualitative analysis revealed four categories of prevention strategies: (1) Enhanced security measures; (2) Communication and emotional regulation skills; (3) System-level support and intersectoral coordination; and (4) Psychological support and public awareness campaigns. Conclusion Verbal abuse toward nurses in prehospital emergency care is a serious and under-addressed problem in Vietnam. Overtime work emerged as a significant independent risk factor. This study highlights the need for multi-level interventions, including strengthened security, improved communication skills, psychological support and public engagement. The findings provide context-specific evidence for developing countries and emphasize that protecting nurses is essential to enhancing the quality and trustworthiness of emergency healthcare services.