Violence Management in a Nigerian Psychiatric Facility: Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses' Current Practices and Their...

Patient violence in mental health care settings is daunting and stressful, as well as increasingly burdensome for professionals in low/middle income countries, specifically Africa. Patient violence has contributed to increased work hazards for health care professionals and may lead to patients being sedated or restrained, potentially resulting in injury to either the patient or provider. The current study assessed Nigerian psychiatric-mental health nurses' current practices of violence management in a hospital in Southwest Nigeria. A qualitative approach, specifically focus group discussion, was used. Results of the study show that patients and providers are prone to maltreatment. Professionals desire involvement of armed military officials to combat acts of violence by psychiatric patients who take advantage of nurses' gender, inexperience, or being lonely on duty, as well as the time of day, to attack nurses. Professionals have reportedly died in the process of violence management. Intervention studies on violence management in African mental health care settings are a priority for future research. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 56(11), 37-45.].