%0 Journal Article
%T Violence against nurses working in US emergency departments
%J Journal of nursing administration
%D 2009
%A Gacki-Smith, Jessica
%A Juarez, Altair M.
%A Boyett, Lara
%A Homeyer, Cathy
%A Robinson, Linda
%A MacLean, Susan L.
%V 39
%N 7-8
%P 340-349
%X OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate emergency nurses' experiences and perceptions of violence from patients and visitors in US emergency departments (EDs). BACKGROUND: The ED is a particularly vulnerable setting for workplace violence, and because of a lack of standardized measurement and reporting mechanisms for violence in healthcare settings, data are scarce. METHODS: Registered nurse members (n = 3,465) of the Emergency Nurses Association participated in this cross-sectional study by completing a 69-item survey. RESULTS: Approximately 25% of respondents reported experiencing physical violence more than 20 times in the past 3 years, and almost 20% reported experiencing verbal abuse more than 200 times during the same period. Respondents who experienced frequent physical violence and/or frequent verbal abuse indicated fear of retaliation and lack of support from hospital administration and ED management as barriers to reporting workplace violence. CONCLUSION: Violence against ED nurses is highly prevalent. Precipitating factors to violent incidents identified by respondents is consistent with the research literature; however, there is considerable potential to mitigate these factors. Commitment from hospital administrators, ED managers, and hospital security is necessary to facilitate improvement and ensure a safer workplace for ED nurses.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Lippincott Williams and Wilkins
%@ 0002-0443
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/NNA.0b013e3181ae97db