Introduction
In response to the findings of Medscape's Sexual Harassment of Physicians Report 2018, Business of Medicine Senior Director Leslie Kane, MA, recently interviewed Susan Strauss, RN, EdD, an internationally recognized author, expert, and speaker on discrimination, harassment, and bullying in the workplace and school. Dr Strauss is also an expert witness for legal cases involving discrimination, harassment, and bullying.
Medscape: In our survey report, 7% of physicians and 11% of nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants said they experienced sexual harassment within the past 3 years. What does this say about what is going on regarding harassment in healthcare?
Strauss: We've indeed heard that sexual harassment is frequent in the healthcare field, and that while it may be lower than in some industries, according to this survey it is alive and well. In many situations, healthcare is a hierarchical and paternalistic field. In healthcare, we are dealing with intimate topics and nudity as part of the care that we give. These situations may be likely to contribute to sexually harassing behavior.
Medscape:Some other surveys we've seen since the #MeToo movement gained attention give much higher percentages of people saying they have been sexually harassed or abused at work. What accounts for that higher percentage?
