Citation

Gacki-Smith J, Juarez AM, Boyett L, Homeyer C, Robinson L, MacLean SL. J. Nurs. Adm. 2009; 39(7-8): 340-349.

Affiliation

Emergency Nurses Association, Des Plaines, Illinois 60016, USA. jgacki-smith@ena.org

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/NNA.0b013e3181ae97db

PMID

19641432

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate emergency nurses' experiences and perceptions of violence from patients and visitors in US emergency departments (EDs). BACKGROUND: The ED is a particularly vulnerable setting for workplace violence, and because of a lack of standardized measurement and reporting mechanisms for violence in healthcare settings, data are scarce. METHODS: Registered nurse members (n = 3,465) of the Emergency Nurses Association participated in this cross-sectional study by completing a 69-item survey. RESULTS: Approximately 25% of respondents reported experiencing physical violence more than 20 times in the past 3 years, and almost 20% reported experiencing verbal abuse more than 200 times during the same period. Respondents who experienced frequent physical violence and/or frequent verbal abuse indicated fear of retaliation and lack of support from hospital administration and ED management as barriers to reporting workplace violence. CONCLUSION: Violence against ED nurses is highly prevalent. Precipitating factors to violent incidents identified by respondents is consistent with the research literature; however, there is considerable potential to mitigate these factors. Commitment from hospital administrators, ED managers, and hospital security is necessary to facilitate improvement and ensure a safer workplace for ED nurses.

Language: en