Incidence and Related Factors of Violence in Emergency Departments—A Study of Nurses in Southern Taiwan

Abstract

Nurses in emergency departments are high-risk groups who are most likely to experience the offense of violent behaviors. In a comparison on the occurrence of verbal and physical abuses in emergency departments, this study aimed to analyze the correlation of staff properties and occupational conditions in an attempt to provide a reference on violence prevention. Eleven hospitals in southern Taiwan were selected and a survey of 267 nurses was conducted. The results were analyzed by percentage, Pearsons chi2 test and logistic regression. The 236 valid questionnaires showed that nurses experienced significantly more verbal abuse (92%) than physical abuse (30%). The highest occurrence of verbal abuse was 49% in night shift, and the physical abuse was 44% in overnight shift. Long waiting (89%), difference in cognition (87%), and lack of communication (82%) were the common causes. The occurrences of verbal abuse and physical abuse were significantly correlated to less-informed (odds ratio [OR], 1.67 and 1.22, respectively) and basic-level nurses (OR, 2.30 and 1.34, respectively). In addition, younger age (OR, 2.80; p < 0.01) and single status (OR, 9.09; p <0.05) were correlated with occurrence of verbal abuse, but not of physical abuse. The test on occupational conditions showed a significant correlation (OR, 0.68/0.44; p < 0.005) between the occurrence of verbal/physical abuse and whether supervisors could provide enough training to cope with violence. This study suggested that a well-informed nurse should be arranged to take the night/overnight shifts in order to reduce the occurrence of abuses in emergency departments.