Physical Violence Against Nurses

Quantitative vs Qualitative Research Methods

Sierra Mann and Chris StonerUniversity of Tennessee Martin

Opening paragraph Physical violence against healthcare workers is a growing endemic issue. Researchers have identified that physical violence takes many forms, stems from all patient care settings and affects all everyone including nurses. Results form physical violence include numerous devastating consequences which leave lingering effect for nurses both at work and at home. The intent of this research was to describe acts of physical violence against nurses perceived as stressful using a qualitative descriptive design with a national sample of emergency nurses (CITED). Although patients with mental health and/or substance abuse

The results found relating directly to nurses in the medical field can easily be transferred to others evolved in patient care settings including medical/surgical, obstetrical/gynecological, emergency, psychiatric/behavioral, intensive care, pediatric, and long-term care settings. Obviously, nurses are not the only ones effected from acts of violence from patients. Acute stress, post-traumatic stress symptoms, decreased work productivity, physical injury, and possible death are all consequences of physical violence for nurses. The listed consequences are also dangers for others not only in the health care environment, but also for anyone who works directly with others providing specialized care or assistance. Although transferable, the results found in this study would most likely be slightly different or varied depending on the population used. However, the main concept of the effects of workplace violence on individuals would be similar and thus should warrant further attention and

Unfortunately, this study is limited by selection bias and therefore is not a true random study. Because it isn’t a true random study, it doesn’t have as much consequence as it could have had. Even with this fact, the seriousness of the effects of violence in the work place needs to be addressed. The data collected during this study on physical violence against nurses demonstrates that physical violence in the ER remains a problem for nurses during the routine performance of nursing practice. Because of this fact, efforts to prevent violence and promote workplace safety need to focus on work designs allowing for the quick egress of employees away from violent patients and visitors; establish and consistently enforce policies aimed at preventing workplace violence, and maintain positive working relationships with security officers (CITED). Future research is needed to quantitatively measure the frequency and severity of consequences and efforts to the worker, workplace, and patient care for those physically violent events (CITED). The presented research in this article is thought provoking and the significance of it calls for better safety plans and mechanisms for the protection of