[Analysis and recording of aggressions in the ICU]

The objectives of this study are to determine if aggressions occur by the family or patient against the nursing staff of the Intensive Care Units (ICU), identify if the aggressions received are recorded; specify if the nurses know about the existence of resources available by the hospital site and verify if the nurses understand aggression to be the same thing. We have conducted a descriptive study using a questionnaire done between November and December 2004 regarding aggressions suffered at work. The study sample includes 150 nurses who work in the ICU and Coronary Unit of the Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge (HUB). Inclusion criteria is the nursing staff of the ICU of HUB. The results of the surveys show that there are aggressions in the ICU (62% of those surveyed have been physically assaulted and 68% verbally). Most of these aggressions were only reported verbally (73% in verbal aggressions, 75% in physical aggressions), these hardly being recorded in written form (2.5% of those assaulted verbally and 40% of those assaulted physically). The conclusions of this study are that a high percentage of the ICU nurses have suffered aggressions in their work, with repercussions in their personal and work life. They normally comment the aggressions with colleagues or bosses, although they do not put it in writing.