The Relationships between Ethical Climate and Sexual Harassment: An Empirical Study with Nurses

Abstract

In this study, we have analyzed the relationship between sexual harassment and the ethical climate in healthcare settings. From two Turkish hospitals, 215 nurses have participated in this survey. Findings of this research show that about thirty-five percent of the nurses are victim of sexual harassment. Harassers are both from the inside of the hospitals (like supervisors and co-workers) and outside of the hospitals (like patients and relatives of the patients). Analyses show that low caring ethical climate and high instrumental ethical climate seem to have some negative impacts on sexual harassment behaviors. Consequently, it is necessary and beneficial that management of these hospitals should support caring and respectful relationships among the stakeholders and take the necessary measurements to stop the harmful consequences.