Violence against nurses by patients and visitors in the emergency department: A concept analysis

Abstract

Aim This analysis investigates the concept of violence against nurses by patients and visitors in the emergency department. It aims to differentiate, clarify, and clearly identify this specific concept, which will facilitate more apt measurement and reporting, ultimately to contribute violence reduction measures. Background Due to contextual factors, occupational risk and patient characteristics, violence against nurses by patients and visitors in the emergency department varies from other types of violence against other health care staff. Methods This study employed Walker and Avant's concept analysis technique. Results The analysis found that violence against nurses by patients and visitors in the emergency department is primarily an occurrence of interpersonal violence based on the working relationship, whereby the patient and/or visitor becomes an assailant, and a nurse becomes a target in the absence of capable guardianship. There is also an intentional use of physical force or power, which results in or has a high chance of causing harm. Conclusion A clearer understanding of the antecedents, attributes, and consequences of violence against nurses by patients and visitors arising from this concept analysis provides a framework that will assist in the understanding, measurement, reporting, and prevention of violence and inform future research. Implications for Nursing Management Nursing managers are encouraged to adopt strategies that act on the factors related to attributes and antecedents that will serve to reduce the occurrence of intentional violent acts.

Effects of verbal violence on job satisfaction, work engagement and the mediating role of emotional exhaustion among healthcare workers: a cross-sectional survey conducted in Chinese tertiary public hospitals

“…Under such circumstances, mood swings are large, and negative emotions such as irritability, tension and fear are inevitable. Third, in terms of the emergency and multiple characteristics of patients 45 in the emergency, healthcare workers who are trained to be 'more efficient and decisive' will be more dedicated to their work and will ignore the needs of family members or other patients and slow and harmonious communication. When patient's negative emotions are more likely to be triggered, and healthcare workers fail to suppress emotions in a more timely and rational manner and ease the relationship, verbal violence is the most used method.…”

Violence against nurses by patients and visitors in the emergency department: An integrative review

“…The extracted data were then synthesized to identify relationships and patterns within and across the primary data sources. The Concept Model proposed by Hou et al (2022) served as the overarching framework for the comprehensive examination of the data.…”

“…Theoretical frameworks have been employed by researchers to analyse and comprehend the scope and causes of violence (Ramacciati et al, 2018a). In a recent study, Hou et al (2022) conducted a conceptual analysis of violence directed towards emergency nurses by patients and visitors, with a specific focus on interpersonal violence within the workplace. This analysis established a theoretical foundation for understanding the antecedents, attributes and consequences of this concept.…”

Workplace Violence among Nurses in Public Hospitals in Vietnam: A Cross-sectional Study

“…are a decline in the quality of health care, and the decision of healthcare workers to leave the healthcare industry. 3 Nurses represent a significant proportion of the healthcare workforce, and providing 24-hour patient care services, they spend most of their work hours in direct contact with patients. As a result of these factors, they are particularly vulnerable to WPV.…”