Summary•A pilot study of nurses and nursing auxiliaries was carried out to determine the prevalence and psychological sequelae of sexual harassment.•Thirteen nurses and 22 nursing auxiliaries were interviewed.•Sixty per cent reported having experienced sexual harassment on at least one occasion.•The results showed that the predominant experience typically occurred:–to female nursing staff;–by male patients;–on the wards;–often while washing patients.•There was minimal reporting of the incident.•The overriding emotion felt was embarrassment which was perceived as resulting in impair