Citation

Paterson B, Paterson D, Miller G. Br. J. Nurs. 2005; 14(15): 810-815.

Affiliation

Department of Nursing and Midwifery Studies, University of Stirling, Scotland.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Mark Allen Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16116407

Abstract

Violence in the health- and social-care workplace remains unexplored, with a knowledge base which is often ambiguous or incomplete. However, the issue has attracted increasing attention over the last two decades as indicated by an expanding range of policy initiatives and growing research literature. Additionally, a proliferation of training programmes for healthcare staff has appeared. This paper will explore the reasons for an observed tendency for interventions to focus on training as the primary response, which suggests a misperception of the problem of violence as principally a function of interpersonal conflict. It argues that a radical cultural shift is needed, which recognises the organizational and societal roots of violence, and that adopts and applies the principles of a public health approach.