Violent Patients

Excerpt

Violence in healthcare is a worldwide and critical issue. In a 2017 Assessment of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that healthcare workers are five times more likely to experience violence on the job than the average US worker.

Violence is a relatively vague term with several meanings, definitions, and interpretations. In the healthcare setting, violence may present as a verbal or physical attack by patients or visitors. In this article, topics of discussion will include epidemiology and etiology, indicators of impending violence, repercussions, and management techniques.