Citation

Komiya-Oya H, Suzuki K, Ishino-Yokoi R, Ishimura K, Kinjo Y. J. Jpn. Acad. Psychiatric Mental Health Nurs. 2005; 14(1): 21-31.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Japan Academy of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

The purpose of our study is to describe precisely the types of violence by inpatients, the impacts on nurses suffering from violence, and the ways of coping with violence. The design of our research was descriptive and qualitative. First, we defined violence conceptually as physical, verbal, and sexual one, following some recent researches. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews asking nurses about their experience related to violence by inpatients. And then we recorded the contents of interviews on tape and transcribed them. According to above definitions, we classified those data. The subjects reported some experiences of the violence received from inpatients. As physical violence, punching and slapping, as verbal violence, threat, slander, and as sexual violence, cling, attempts to kiss were reported. Although some nurses were injured with physical violence, they showed a tendency to play down their physical damages in front of their line manager and colleagues. In addition to these physical damages, the nurses experienced mental damages, such as fear/anger towards the patients, losing care confidence as a nurse, and low self-esteem caused by violence. Immediately after the violent event, they avoided the patient. For example, they avoided thinking about it, or getting near the patient who had committed the violence, or caring him/her empathetically. It is said that the debriefing which helps to express the emotions, and gives effective support to assaulted nurses. However, we revealed the existence of other type of support. The colleagues and manager of assaulted nurses care them silently and did not mention the emotion of assaulted nurses. We found that at present overcoming the impacts of violence depends on the assaulted nurses themselves. It is necessary to construct the systems of an education and a support for nurses.