How reality orientation may impact upon violence and aggression within acute psychiatric care

The focus of this article is on how the technique of Reality Orientation (RO) may impact upon the phenomenon of violence and aggression within an acute psychiatric care environment. Within the text the term violence is used to represent both violence and aggression. Findings relating to how RO is associated with clinical violence in acute psychiatry care came to the fore after the author carried out a research study examining nurses perceptions of RO as practiced within an acute psychiatric and care of the elderly clinical environments. It is clear that RO interacts with the phenomenon of violence in acute psychiatry. It is also clear that psychiatric nurses require a greater understanding of the technique if it is to be implemented with greater efficacy within acute psychiatric care.