[Aggressive behavior toward nursing staff in three different health care settings. [corrected]

Health providers, particularly nurses, are at high risk for aggression in the workplace. This phenomenon, constantly increasing, it can undermine the resilience of the health providers, increasing the burn-out and staff turnover.

Highlight the frequency and characteristics of violence in different health areas.

A questionnaire, the "Violent Incident Form" (VIF), was administered to 987 nurses belonging to various hospitals and emergency services of Modena. The data, divided into three groups related to health areas of origin, the emergency department, medical-surgical and psychiatric wards, grouped by risk of such violence and work characteristics, were compared with each other.

74% of respondents have suffered at least one episode of violence in the last 3 years, with the highest percentage in psychiatric area (84%). In the general hospital (64%) and in the emergency department (54%), violence was mostly verbal, acted out by patients and by members of their family, while, in psychiatric wards, has been frequently physical (40%) or physical and verbal (33%), made especially from patients with the highest number of physical consequences, never reported to the Court. Only 31% of nurses expected the attack.

This study confirms, in accordance with the literature, that the aggression toward the nurses are a remarkable phenomenon, and it suggests that, to prevent such a violence, are necessary not only precautions and a structural organization, specific for the different health areas, but above all, great awareness and preparation from the health providers around this risk.