Alessia González1, Naud Volders1, Alejandro Gutiérrez de Terán1, Corinna Weiß1, Priscilla Schneider1, Zoë van Meer1, Stefanie Beinert2
Abstract
Background: Sexual harassment in healthcare is a significant yet under-addressed issue, particularly affecting nurses. Despite increasing awareness following the #MeToo movement, harassment remains prevalent in hospitals, negatively impacting staff retention, patient care, and workplace morale. While the Dutch National Action Programme for Tackling Sexually Transgressive Behaviour and Sexual Violence sets broad guidelines, it lacks tailored strategies for hospitals. This policy brief aims to bridge this gap by providing a structured toolkit to help Dutch hospitals implement effective measures against sexual harassment.
Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted to analyze existing sexual harassment policies in Dutch hospitals. The study examined publicly available hospital documents, legislative frameworks, and best practices from academic and non-academic hospitals. Additionally, Kotter’s change management framework was integrated with the National Action Programme’s five action lines to develop an implementation toolkit for hospitals. Comparative analysis was conducted between hospitals to identify strengths, gaps, and areas for improvement.
Results: Findings reveal that while many hospitals claim to have zero-tolerance policies, they often lack clear guidelines and structured interventions for addressing workplace sexual harassment. Best practices were identified, including awareness campaigns (e.g., Zuyderland Hospital’s poster initiative), self-inspections (Isala Hospital), and external partnerships with NGOs like Centrum Seksueel Geweld. Academic hospitals, due to their affiliation with universities, tend to have more comprehensive policies, but implementation varies. Private hospitals often lack structured programs due to resource constraints.
Conclusion: To ensure effective prevention and response to sexual harassment in Dutch hospitals, a structured implementation toolkit is proposed, combining Kotter’s framework with national policy goals. This toolkit provides a step-by-step approach for hospitals to strengthen reporting mechanisms, improve training programs, enhance organizational culture, and establish sustainable prevention strategies. By adopting these measures, hospitals can better safeguard their staff, create a culture of respect, and align with national and EU-level workplace safety regulations. Further research is needed to assess the real-world effectiveness of these interventions and encourage uniform implementation across all healthcare settings.
Keywords: Sexual harassment, workplace harassment, healthcare workforce, Dutch hospitals, nursing safety, transgressive behavior, organizational culture, public health policy, occupational health, gender-based violence, healthcare leadership, employee well-being.