Psychiatric patient assaults on staff victims are a worldwide occupational hazard. This paper reports on a 15-year study of the characteristics of staff victims of patient assaults and a crisis intervention procedure to ameliorate the aftermath of theses incidents. The debate on the efficacy of early interventions is outlined and the present 15-year findings are presented, findings demonstrating remarkable consistency in victim characteristics over time. The crisis intervention procedures were associated with sharp declines in disrupted victim functioning. The validity of the study's findings are noted and the implications for enhanced risk management training and staff victim crisis intervention procedures are discussed.

Psychiatric patient assaults on healthcare staff are a worldwide occupational hazard. This present 20-year, retrospective study examined the characteristics of these staff victims in one public-sector, health care system and assessed the psychological support provided to these victims by the post-incident Assaulted Staff Action Program (ASAP). An additional analysis compared the victim characteristics in this same health care system at 10-, 15-, and 20-year intervals. The findings were consistent with earlier, worldwide studies. Staff victims tend to be younger, less formally educated, less experienced, and less trained mental health workers, residential house counselors, and trainees of differing disciplines. ASAP provided needed support to staff victims. Risk management strategies for safety, methodological issues, and the problem of denial in fielding a post-incident crisis intervention program for staff victims were discussed.

Empirical research demonstrates that patient assaults on staff are a worldwide occupational hazard. This study examined patient assailant characteristics in a 20-year longitudinal, retrospective study in one public health care system. Older male patients with schizophrenic illness and histories of violence toward others and substance use disorder and younger male/female patients with personality disorders and histories of violence toward others, personal victimization, and substance use disorder were the more frequent assailants. This was true at 10-, 15-, and 20-year periods. Specific clinical findings with regard to forensic patients, the violence triad, and victimization of women as well as methodological issues were discussed and the implications noted.