The organisational silence of midwives and nurses: reasons and results

Abstract

Aim: The study was conducted to determine the issues about which nurses and midwives remain silent and the reasons for it and the perceived results of silence.

Background: Organisational silence is a vitally important issue in the health sector, due to the risks and mistakes that are not reported, and proposals for improvement that are not made.

Method: The sample of this descriptive survey, which investigated a cause and effect relationship, was 159 nurses and midwives. The data were collected using a questionnaire and the organisational silence scale.

Findings: Of the study participants, 84.9% were nurses and 15.1% were midwives. Of all participants 88.7% were women. 8.8% of participants stated that they never remained silent about issues related to work and the workplace. Respondents most often remained silent about issues related to ethics and responsibility. 'Limited improvement and development' was frequently mentioned as a perceived result of organisational silence.

Conclusion: Our study determined that organisational silence is quite common among nurses and midwives.

Implications for nursing management: Activities that raise the awareness of hospital administrations and employees about preventing the factors that cause and maintain silence in hospitals should be planned.

Keywords: Turkey; midwives; nurses; organisational silence.