NIOSHTIC-2 Publications Search

Violence against emergency department workers.

Gates DM; Ross CS; McQueen L

J Emerg Med 2006 Oct; 31(3):331-337

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2005.12.028

20034664

The purpose of this study was to describe the violence experienced by Emergency Department (ED) workers from patients and visitors during the 6 months before the survey. Two hundred forty-two employees at five hospitals who came in direct contact with patients or visitors completed a survey. The study found that most workers had been verbally harassed by patients or visitors at least once. There were at least 319 assaults by patients and 10 assaults by visitors. Sixty-five percent of subjects assaulted stated that they did not report the assault to hospital authorities. Sixty-four percent of subjects had not had any violence prevention training during the previous 12 months. There were significant relationships among violent experiences, feelings of safety, and job satisfaction. ED workers are at high risk for violence, and efforts are needed to decrease the incidence of violence. Such efforts are likely to have a positive impact on job satisfaction and retention of ED workers.

Emergency care; Health care facilities; Health care personnel; Nurses; Nursing; Physicians; Psychological factors; Psychological reactions; Injuries; Injury prevention; Health surveys; Author Keywords: workplace violence; emergency department; healthcare workers; assaults; violence

Donna M. Gates, College of Nursing, 3110 Vine Street, University of Cincinnati, Academic Health Center, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0038

20061001

Journal Article

1070124

Grant

2007

Grant-Number-T42-CCT-510420

3

0736-4679

The Journal of Emergency Medicine

OH

University of Cincinnati