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Violence towards emergency department nurses by patients
Julia Crilly1, Wendy Chaboyer, Debra Creedy
1Centre for Clinical Practice Innovation, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, PMB 50 Gold Coast Mail Centre, Qld. 9726, Australia. juliacrilly@hotmail.com
Accident and Emergency Nursing
|March 26, 2004
Summary
Patient violence against nurses is frequent in emergency departments (EDs), with 70% of nurses experiencing it. Understanding these incidents is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies to ensure nurse safety.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Nursing Practice
- Public Health
Background:
- Emergency department (ED) violence poses a significant risk to healthcare professionals.
- Nurses are particularly vulnerable to patient aggression in high-stress ED environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence of patient-perpetrated violence against nurses in two EDs.
- To identify patient factors and circumstances associated with ED violence.
- To inform the development of preventative strategies for nurse safety.
Main Methods:
- A survey was conducted with 71 ED nurses across two facilities.
- Data collected included the frequency, types, and timing of violent incidents.
- Nurses reported perceived patient factors, including substance influence and mental illness indicators.
Main Results:
- 70% of nurses (50 out of 71) reported 110 episodes of violence over five months, averaging five incidents weekly.
- Violence was most common during evening shifts (37%).
- Perpetrators were perceived to be under the influence of alcohol (27%) and drugs (25%), with 38% exhibiting behaviors associated with mental illness. Verbal abuse (61%) was most common, followed by physical assaults like pushing (10%).
Conclusions:
- A high incidence of patient violence against ED nurses necessitates urgent attention.
- Understanding the patterns and contributing factors, such as substance use and mental illness, is key to implementing effective safety protocols.
- Further research and targeted interventions are required to enhance workplace safety for nurses in emergency settings.