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Staff's experience of and the management of violent incidents in elderly care
Author(s) -
Åström Sture,
Karlsson Stig,
Sandvide Åsa,
Bucht Gösta,
Eisemann Martin,
Norberg Astrid,
Saveman BrittInger
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of caring sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.678
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1471-6712
pISSN - 0283-9318
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-6712.2004.00301.x
Subject(s) - antipathy , workplace violence , aggression , incident report , nursing , medicine , occupational safety and health , suicide prevention , poison control , psychology , medical emergency , psychiatry , forensic engineering , pathology , politics , political science , law , engineering
Violence towards staff has become an important issue, since it has been reported to be common in various health care settings. This study aimed to describe emotional reactions among staff being exposed to violence in residential community care for the elderly: to investigate consequences from violent incidents and to describe the management of violent incidents. Data were collected by telephone interviews with nursing staff reporting incidents of violence. During the period of investigation, 97 of 848 staff (11.4%) reported that they had been exposed to violence. More than one‐third of them reported subsequent wound and bruises from the incident and two of the exposed staff consulted a doctor because of the violent incident. The most frequently reported reactions among the staff were aggression, astonishment, and antipathy against the perpetrating care recipient, as well as insufficiency, powerlessness, insult and fear. A majority of the incidents were judged as intentionally perpetuating from the care recipient. Most of the violent incidents were managed by informal discussions in the working team. A low number of the reported incidents of violence involved formal discussions with nurse managers.