Health Care Workers' Experiences of Aggression
Author(s)
Kerr, Katelyn
Oram, Joanne
Tinson, Helen
Shum, David
Year published
2017
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
To identify the prevalence of patient aggression against health care workers, the consequences and coping mechanisms.
DESIGN:
Retrospective cross-sectional design.
SUBJECTS:
50 participants comprised 37 nurses, 1 ward staff, 12 allied health staff employed in two brain injury wards with experience ranging from 3 months to 34 years.
SETTING:
Neurosciences and Brain Injury Rehabilitation wards of a metropolitan tertiary hospital in Brisbane.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
Researcher designed self-report questionnaire.
RESULTS:
98% of respondents had experienced aggression during their health care careers ...
View more >PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To identify the prevalence of patient aggression against health care workers, the consequences and coping mechanisms. DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional design. SUBJECTS: 50 participants comprised 37 nurses, 1 ward staff, 12 allied health staff employed in two brain injury wards with experience ranging from 3 months to 34 years. SETTING: Neurosciences and Brain Injury Rehabilitation wards of a metropolitan tertiary hospital in Brisbane. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Researcher designed self-report questionnaire. RESULTS: 98% of respondents had experienced aggression during their health care careers with an average of 143.93 events. Physical injuries had been sustained by 40% of staff, psychological injury by 82%, but only 12% sought treatment. Verbal aggression related to receiving a psychological injury (r = 0.305, p < 0.05). Experiencing one type of aggression made it more likely the person would also experience the other types of aggression. Verbal aggression was correlated with physical aggression (r = 0.429, p < 0.01) and non-verbal aggression (r = 0.286, p < 0.05), and physical aggression was correlated with non-verbal aggression (r = 0.333, p < 0.05). The majority of staff used informal debriefing with others as their main coping strategy which was considered effective. CONCLUSIONS: Patient aggression is prevalent and of serious concern for staff working in hospital settings.
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View more >PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To identify the prevalence of patient aggression against health care workers, the consequences and coping mechanisms. DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional design. SUBJECTS: 50 participants comprised 37 nurses, 1 ward staff, 12 allied health staff employed in two brain injury wards with experience ranging from 3 months to 34 years. SETTING: Neurosciences and Brain Injury Rehabilitation wards of a metropolitan tertiary hospital in Brisbane. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Researcher designed self-report questionnaire. RESULTS: 98% of respondents had experienced aggression during their health care careers with an average of 143.93 events. Physical injuries had been sustained by 40% of staff, psychological injury by 82%, but only 12% sought treatment. Verbal aggression related to receiving a psychological injury (r = 0.305, p < 0.05). Experiencing one type of aggression made it more likely the person would also experience the other types of aggression. Verbal aggression was correlated with physical aggression (r = 0.429, p < 0.01) and non-verbal aggression (r = 0.286, p < 0.05), and physical aggression was correlated with non-verbal aggression (r = 0.333, p < 0.05). The majority of staff used informal debriefing with others as their main coping strategy which was considered effective. CONCLUSIONS: Patient aggression is prevalent and of serious concern for staff working in hospital settings.
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Journal Title
Archives of Psychiatric Nursing
Volume
31
Issue
5
Subject
Biomedical and clinical sciences
Psychology
Other psychology not elsewhere classified