Aggression and violence against emergency health care employees

Objective & Hypothesis:OBJECTIVE: Health care employees are more likely than other workers to be victims of violence or aggression.The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and nature of workplace violence against health care employees in the surgical emergency department of Istanbul Educational and Research Hospital and to identify the risk factors and legal problems related to violence in the hospital environment.

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Key Findings & Data:METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire study was designed and 24 doctors, 16 nurses and 7 health care workers were invited to complete a face to face questionnaire.

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Conclusion & Impact:Further large-scale studies should be conducted to more closely examine the problem.

🔬Design:Survey & Empirical Study

📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample

⚙️Variables:Domain Parameters

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Health care employees are more likely than other workers to be victims of violence or aggression.The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and nature of workplace violence against health care employees in the surgical emergency department of Istanbul Educational and Research Hospital and to identify the risk factors and legal problems related to violence in the hospital environment. METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire study was designed and 24 doctors, 16 nurses and 7 health care workers were invited to complete a face to face questionnaire. RESULTS: Psychological violence was more prevalent than was physical violence. Verbal abuse had been experienced in the preceding year by 100% (18% weekly, 70 % monthly) and physical violence was reported by 87% (19% weekly, 14 % monthly) by the questionnaires. 40 % of the employees had once called police and 27 % had a dispute to be settled in court.All employees remained worried about violence at work. Emergency department waiting times are the most significant predisposing factors. CONCLUSION: The frequency of violent acts and stress related to the health care employees point out the strong need for the development of preventive programs like “safe care” to address the issue of violence at work. Further large-scale studies should be conducted to more closely examine the problem.

Özet

AMAÇ: Sağlık çalışanları her geçen gün diğer çalışanlara göre daha çok saldırı ve şiddet mağduru olmaktadırlar. Bu çalışmada İstanbul Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi Acil cerrahi nöbeti tutan sağlık çalışanla- rına uygulanan iş yeri saldırılarının sıklığı ve türünün belirlenmesi ve hastane ortamındaki ilgili risk faktörlerinin ve hukuksal sorunlarının saptanması amaçlanmıştır. YÖNTEMLER: 24 doktor, 16 hemşire ve 7 sağlık personeli anket tarzında hazırlanan sorularla yüz yüze sorgulandılar. Ankete katılanların verdikleri cevaplar, risk faktörleri değerlendirildi. BULGULAR: Psikolojik şiddet uygulaması fiziksel şiddetten daha çok karşımıza çıktı. Sözlü saldırıya son bir yıl içinde tüm çalışanlar ma- ruz kalmışlar %100 (%18 haftalık, % 70 aylık sıklıkla), fiziksel şiddet ise %87 olguda yıllık (%19 haftalık, %14aylık) sıklıkta görülmüştür. Saldırıya uğrayanların sadece %40 polisi bir kere aramışlar ve %27 si ise mahkemelik olmuştur. Tüm sağlık çalışanlar acil serviste çalış- maktan endişe duymaktadırlar ve mevcut saldırılara karşı alınacak ön- lemler konusunda eğitilmelerinin faydalı olacağı kanaatindedirler. Acilde bekleme zamanının en anlamlı risk faktörü olduğu gözlendi. Şid- det olaylarının hastane idaresine bildirilmemesi önemli bir başka bulgu olarak saptandı. SONUÇ: Sağlık çalışanlarına yapılan şiddet uygulamalarının sıklığı, bize “Safe Care” gibi koruyucu programların geliştirilmesi gerektiğine işaret etmektedir. Acil çalışanlara uygulanan şiddet İstanbul’da ciddi bir problem olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Daha geniş kapsamlı araştırmalar ile konunun daha yakından araştırılması gerektiği kanaatine varıldı.

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Cite This Article

Aren, A., BAŞAK, F., ÇELİK, G., GÜNEŞ, M. E., MAHSUNİ, S. M., KINACI, E. (2013). Aggression and violence against emergency health care employees. Tıp Hukuku Dergisi, Cilt: 2 - Sayı: 3, 1–10. https://ajindex.com/articles/361623

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