Violence against nurses
Violence Against Nurses
Intro to Nursing (14SPNURS361246)
January 19, 2014
Violence Against Nurses Violence is a growing problem in the field of nursing, as the mental instability that might preempt violent attacks is very often related to the cause that brought the attackers to the facility in the first place or can even serve as a reaction to the perceived institutionalization of the facility. This can encompass behavior or mood destabilization of various medication side-effects and/or interactions, increased anxiety or paranoia as it relates to the healthcare industry, or mental illness and substance abusers (a population overrepresented in hospitals). Regardless of the origin of the aggression, every sick patient is one that contains a certain degree of distress and this can manifest in many different forms of affect. It should not be surprising then that violence can present in even the most benign patient, but protecting nurses against this growing trend is difficult.
One popular target for increased violent outbreaks is becoming the emergency department (ED) of hospitals. One body of research acknowledges this.
Physical violence in the ED remains a problem for emergency nurses during the routine performance of nursing practice. Efforts to prevent violence and promote workplace safety need to focus on work designs allowing for the quick egress of employees away from violent patients and visitors; establish and consistently enforce policies aimed at preventing workplace violence, and maintain positive working relationships with security officers. While patients with mental health or substance use complaints were deemed as the most stressful encounters of physical violence, they are not the only patients acting out violently that lead to nursing stress. Therefore, risk reduction efforts should target all patients and visitors, and not be restrictive to any sub-population. Future research needs to quantitatively measure the frequency
Intro to Nursing (14SPNURS361246)
January 19, 2014
Violence Against Nurses Violence is a growing problem in the field of nursing, as the mental instability that might preempt violent attacks is very often related to the cause that brought the attackers to the facility in the first place or can even serve as a reaction to the perceived institutionalization of the facility. This can encompass behavior or mood destabilization of various medication side-effects and/or interactions, increased anxiety or paranoia as it relates to the healthcare industry, or mental illness and substance abusers (a population overrepresented in hospitals). Regardless of the origin of the aggression, every sick patient is one that contains a certain degree of distress and this can manifest in many different forms of affect. It should not be surprising then that violence can present in even the most benign patient, but protecting nurses against this growing trend is difficult.
One popular target for increased violent outbreaks is becoming the emergency department (ED) of hospitals. One body of research acknowledges this.
Physical violence in the ED remains a problem for emergency nurses during the routine performance of nursing practice. Efforts to prevent violence and promote workplace safety need to focus on work designs allowing for the quick egress of employees away from violent patients and visitors; establish and consistently enforce policies aimed at preventing workplace violence, and maintain positive working relationships with security officers. While patients with mental health or substance use complaints were deemed as the most stressful encounters of physical violence, they are not the only patients acting out violently that lead to nursing stress. Therefore, risk reduction efforts should target all patients and visitors, and not be restrictive to any sub-population. Future research needs to quantitatively measure the frequency
References: Childers, L. (2014) “Danger on the job: nurses speak out against hospital violence. Minority Nurse.com. Retrieved January 19, 2014 from, http://www.minoritynurse.com/article/danger-job-nurses-speak-out against-hospital-violence. Emergency Nurses Association, Institute for Emergency Nursing Research. (2012). Emergency Department Violence Surveillance Study. Des Plaines, IL: Author. Retrieved January 19, 2014 from, https://www.ena.org/practice-research/research/Documents/ENAEDVSReportNovember2011.pdf Gillespie, L., Gates, D., Berry, P. (January 31, 2013). Stressful Incidents of Physical Violence Against Emergency Nurses. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, Vol. 18, No. 1, Manuscript 2. Retrieved January 19, 2014 from,http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/Tableof Contents/Vol-18-2013/No1-Jan-2013/Stressful-Incidents-of-Physical-Violence-against-Emergency- Nurses.html Miller, R. (July 19, 2011). “New state law protects health care workers from violence.” CTpost.com. Retrieved January 19, 2014 from, http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/New-state-law-protects-health-care- workers-from-1472488.php Workplace Violence. (2012). The National Center for Victims of Crime. Retrieved January 19, 2014 from, http://www.victimsofcrime.org/library/crime-information-and-statistics/workplace-violence.