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Staff injuries from patient attack: five years' data

H Carmel1, M Hunter

  • 1Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo 81003.

The Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
|January 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Staff in psychiatric hospitals face significant risks of patient attacks, with nursing staff experiencing the highest injury rates. Peak attack times and specific days indicate potential for targeted safety interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Occupational Safety
  • Psychiatric Care

Background:

  • Patient aggression poses a substantial risk to healthcare workers in psychiatric settings.
  • Understanding the patterns and demographics of staff injuries from patient attacks is crucial for developing effective safety protocols.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the incidence and characteristics of staff injuries resulting from patient attacks over a five-year period in a large state hospital.
  • To identify high-risk staff groups, peak times, and specific circumstances associated with these injuries to inform prevention strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of staff injury data from patient attacks over five years (1984-1988).
  • Calculation of injury rates per 100 person-years for different staff categories.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Identification of temporal patterns (time of day, day of week) and injury locations.

    • Main Results:

    • A total of 236 injuries occurred among 209 employees over 6,225 person-years.
    • Ward nursing staff had the highest injury rate (5.7/100 person-years), followed by psychiatric technician trainees (6.2/100 person-years).
    • Peak injury periods were 8-11 am and 4-7 pm; Mondays and Tuesdays saw more injuries; 74% of injuries occurred on the victim's ward; 70.7% were head injuries.

    Conclusions:

    • Patient attacks represent a significant occupational hazard in psychiatric hospitals, particularly for ward nursing staff.
    • Targeted interventions during identified peak hours and days, along with enhanced ward security, may reduce staff injuries.
    • Further research into the specific causes and prevention of patient-on-staff aggression is warranted.