Patient aggression in a general hospital setting: do nurses perceive it to be a problem?

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Practice
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Aggressive incidents pose a significant problem for healthcare workers in general hospitals.
• Despite awareness among nursing staff, detailed knowledge of these incidents remains limited.
• Understanding patient aggression is crucial for developing effective management strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence and extent of patient aggression in a metropolitan tertiary hospital.
• To gather data on aggressors, inciting factors, incident nature, management, and outcomes.
• To inform future management strategies for patient aggression.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted in a metropolitan tertiary hospital.
• The survey tool collected data on patient aggression incidents over a five-month period.
• Information gathered included details on the aggressor, contributing factors, incident type, management, and outcomes.

Main Results:

• Sixty-eight incidents of patient aggression were reported by nursing staff over five months.
• Most incidents occurred during after-hours shifts when staff resources were limited.
• Chemical and physical restraints were common management interventions; nurses felt many incidents were unavoidable.

Conclusions:

• Patient aggression is a recurring issue in general hospitals, particularly during periods of low staffing.
• Current aggression management training may not fully equip nurses to prevent all incidents.
• The findings necessitate a review and enhancement of hospital strategies for managing patient aggression.