Interpersonal violence experienced by nurses caring for persons with intellectual disability: A phenomenological study

Abstract

This phenomenological study explored interpersonal violence experienced by nurses caring for persons diagnosed with intellectual disability at a selected psychiatric hospital in South Africa. In-depth phenomenological interviews were conducted with 16 nurses (female = 10, males = 06 with 2 to 16 and above years’ tenure in long-term units). Using thematic analysis, three overarching themes emerged: (i) violence directed towards self and others; (ii) violence coping strategies; and (iii) support and skills development needs. Participants reported, for example, aggression and head banging aimed at causing harm to oneself and others as challenging behaviours that could potentially harm nurses and other patients. The nurses used adjustment and acceptance as coping strategies, including reliance on team support and being cognisant of their duty to care. These findings indicate a need for in-service training programmes to upgrade their knowledge inthis specialised field and for induction of new appointees serving in long-term units treating individuals with intellectual disability.

Keywords:

• aggression
• caregivers
• challenging behaviour
• hermeneutic phenomenology
• nursing
• psychiatric hospital

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge all the mental health care providers who participated in this study and shared their experiences of therapeutic challenges they experienced whilst caring for persons diagnosed with intellectual disability.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that could have influenced their decision to write this article.

Data availability

The data generated from this study and participant information are available. However, due to the Protection of Personal Information Act, access is limited.

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated agency of the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The study received no financial support from any institution, and was self-funded by the authors.