Patient Aggression in Real Time on Geriatric Inpatient Units.

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nursing Science
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Verbal and physical aggression are prevalent issues in healthcare settings.
• Elderly patients pose unique challenges regarding aggressive behaviors.
• The impact of patient aggression on nursing staff well-being requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the frequency of verbal and physical aggression by elderly patients towards nursing staff.
• To assess the extent to which nursing staff experience or witness aggressive incidents.
• To understand the implications of observed aggression on nursing staff stress levels.

Main Methods:

• Data collection involved real-time recording of aggressive incidents by nursing staff.
• The Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS) was utilized for standardized identification of aggressive acts.
• Aggressive incidents were documented at the end of each nursing shift to ensure accurate recall.

Main Results:

• A high incidence of verbal and physical aggression from elderly patients was observed.
• Seventy-five percent of nursing staff reported experiencing or witnessing aggression during their shifts.
• This equates to at least five aggressive incidents per nursing staff member weekly.

Conclusions:

• Verbal and physical aggression by elderly patients against nursing staff is a frequent occurrence.
• The constant exposure to aggression, whether as a target or witness, significantly elevates nursing staff stress.
• Interventions are needed to mitigate aggression and support nursing staff well-being.