Citation

Augestad LB, Vatten LJ. Safety Sci. 1994; 18(2): 113-124.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyse differences in the risk of assaults on employees by patients in a psychiatric institution, according to gender, educational background, and type of ward. The institution is located in the middle of Norway, and serves a population of 120.000. All assaults on the employees were registered over a 5-year period (1987-1992), during which 2600 violent incidents were reported. The results showed that men had a threefold risk of being assaulted at work compared to women. Employees with no formal psychiatric education had an extremely elevated risk compared to personnel within any of the categories of psychiatric education. Particularly striking was the very high risk of assault in this group of employees working within the maximum security unit of the institution. These results indicate that trained personnel should be preferred in the wards where violence is most prevalent, but if untrained nursing aides are necessary, their time in direct contact with the patients should be limited. The different risk of assault between male and female employees requires further consideration.