Unannounced Mock Drills for Violent Situations

Abstract

Violence in hospital emergency departments is a dangerous problem. 1 Emergency Nurses Association Workplace violence toolkit. http://www.ena.org/media/PressReleases/Pages/WorkplaceViolenceTookit.aspx Google Scholar , 2 Gacki-Smith J Juarez AM Boyett L Homeyer C Robinson L MacLean SL Violence against nurses working in US emergency departments. J Nurs Adm. 2009; 39: 340-349 Crossref PubMed Scopus (248) Google Scholar , 3 Roche M Diers D Duffield C Catling-Paull C Violence toward nurses, the work environment, and patient outcomes. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2010; 42: 13-22 Crossref PubMed Scopus (277) Google Scholar , 4 Lyneham J Violence in New South Wales EDs. Aust J Adv Nurs. 2000; 18: 8-17 PubMed Google Scholar , 5 Rose M A survey of violence toward nursing staff in one large Irish accident and emergency department. J Emerg Nurs. 1997; 23: 214-219 Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (64) Google Scholar , 6 American Psychiatric Nurses Association Workplace violence position statement. http://www.apna.org/files/public/APNA_Workplace_Violence_Position_Paper.pdfDate: 2008 Google Scholar The International Council of Nurses described this problem as a “world-wide epidemic” in 2008, 7 International Council of Nurses Violence: a worldwide epidemic. Nursing Matters Fact Sheet. http://www.icn.ch/images/stories/documents/publications/fact_sheets/19k_FS-Violence.pdf Google Scholar and recent studies have clearly indicated that emergency nurses are particularly vulnerable to workplace violence. 2 Gacki-Smith J Juarez AM Boyett L Homeyer C Robinson L MacLean SL Violence against nurses working in US emergency departments. J Nurs Adm. 2009; 39: 340-349 Crossref PubMed Scopus (248) Google Scholar These abuses and assaults have a direct effect on staff morale, the amount of nonproductive work, and the length of staff employment in our emergency departments. 2 Gacki-Smith J Juarez AM Boyett L Homeyer C Robinson L MacLean SL Violence against nurses working in US emergency departments. J Nurs Adm. 2009; 39: 340-349 Crossref PubMed Scopus (248) Google Scholar Violence in hospital emergency departments is a dangerous problem. 1 Emergency Nurses Association Workplace violence toolkit. http://www.ena.org/media/PressReleases/Pages/WorkplaceViolenceTookit.aspx Google Scholar , 2 Gacki-Smith J Juarez AM Boyett L Homeyer C Robinson L MacLean SL Violence against nurses working in US emergency departments. J Nurs Adm. 2009; 39: 340-349 Crossref PubMed Scopus (248) Google Scholar , 3 Roche M Diers D Duffield C Catling-Paull C Violence toward nurses, the work environment, and patient outcomes. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2010; 42: 13-22 Crossref PubMed Scopus (277) Google Scholar , 4 Lyneham J Violence in New South Wales EDs. Aust J Adv Nurs. 2000; 18: 8-17 PubMed Google Scholar , 5 Rose M A survey of violence toward nursing staff in one large Irish accident and emergency department. J Emerg Nurs. 1997; 23: 214-219 Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (64) Google Scholar , 6 American Psychiatric Nurses Association Workplace violence position statement. http://www.apna.org/files/public/APNA_Workplace_Violence_Position_Paper.pdfDate: 2008 Google Scholar The International Council of Nurses described this problem as a “world-wide epidemic” in 2008, 7 International Council of Nurses Violence: a worldwide epidemic. Nursing Matters Fact Sheet. http://www.icn.ch/images/stories/documents/publications/fact_sheets/19k_FS-Violence.pdf Google Scholar and recent studies have clearly indicated that emergency nurses are particularly vulnerable to workplace violence. 2 Gacki-Smith J Juarez AM Boyett L Homeyer C Robinson L MacLean SL Violence against nurses working in US emergency departments. J Nurs Adm. 2009; 39: 340-349 Crossref PubMed Scopus (248) Google Scholar These abuses and assaults have a direct effect on staff morale, the amount of nonproductive work, and the length of staff employment in our emergency departments. 2 Gacki-Smith J Juarez AM Boyett L Homeyer C Robinson L MacLean SL Violence against nurses working in US emergency departments. J Nurs Adm. 2009; 39: 340-349 Crossref PubMed Scopus (248) Google Scholar