A survey of violence toward nursing staff in one large irish accident and emergency department

Nonreporting was revealed as a major problem, whereas reporting violence was often seen as an empty gesture because of a lack of institutional support for the nurse/attendant victims.

Abstract

The results of this study mirrored those of similar surveys in Britain and the United States. Nonreporting was revealed as a major problem, whereas reporting violence was often seen as an empty gesture because of a lack of institutional support for the nurse/attendant victims. Staff reported feeling vulnerable to abuse and there was a general desire for training in self-protection. Since the survey was first presented to hospital managers, St James's Hospital has made a number of changes to improve staff security. These include teaching staff breakaway techniques, increasing the number of security officers on duty, issuing personal alarms, and encouraging staff to officially report all incidents.