Preventing assaults by nursing home residents: nursing assistants' knowledge and confidence--a pilot study

To describe the frequency and context of assaults against nursing assistants (NAs) from residents and to describe NAs' beliefs about their violence prevention knowledge and self-efficacy to prevent assaults from residents.

Survey.

Six nursing homes.

A total of 138 nursing assistants.

NAs completed two investigator-developed surveys, the Demographic and Employment Questionnaire and the Knowledge and Self-Efficacy Survey. The Demographic and Employment Questionnaire included questions about race, gender, age, and education, current and previous employment, number of residents usually assigned, frequency of assaults, and training on workplace violence. On the Knowledge and Self-Efficacy Survey, the participants used a five-point Likert scale to rate their knowledge and confidence in recognizing and preventing assaults from residents.

Assaults against nursing assistants from residents in nursing homes were common; 59% stated they were assaulted at least once a week and 16% stated they were assaulted daily. Fifty-one percent stated that they had been injured in their lifetime from an assault from a resident, and 38% of those injured received medical attention for an injury. On the Likert items, nursing assistants reported that they believed they had the most knowledge (mean = 3.76) and confidence (mean 3.81) in their ability to recognize when a resident is agitated or becoming aggressive. In comparison, NAs rated lower their knowledge (mean = 3.45) and confidence in their ability (3.50) to keep residents from becoming agitated or aggressive (mean 3.50). NAs rated lowest their knowledge (3.42) and confidence (mean = 3.47) in their ability to decrease residents' agitation and aggressiveness once they become agitated or aggressive.

These findings provide useful information that supports the need for violence prevention education and for developing violence prevention programs in nursing homes.