The Incidence and Risk Factors of Workplace Violence towards Female Nurses Reported via Internet in an Acute Psychiatric Hospital

ABSTRACT

The authors conducted a prospective follow-up study to explore incidence and risk factors related to workplace violence towards nurses. Seventy-seven volunteers were recruited to complete a baseline questionnaire. Participants then used a designated Web site to report violent incidents they encountered during a 6-month period. A generalized estimating equation was used for data analysis. A total of 74 members completed the study; 456 events were reported. The incidence rates of various types of violence are reported in this paper. Risk factors for violence included short duration of employment, marital status, and a high level of anxiety. Strategies to reduce future violence from psychiatric patients include preplacement education that targets this high-risk group of nurses and efforts to reduce the staff anxiety levels.

KEYWORDS:

• anxiety
• female nurse
• incidence
• psychiatric hospital
• workplace violence

Acknowledgments

This paper was presented to the Section of Psychological Factors of EPICHO-MEDICHEM conference in Taipei, Taiwan, April 21 to 25, 2010. We are grateful for the funding support we received from the National Health Research Institutes under grant number NSC 96–2628-B-002–071-MY3.