A general overview of violence in healthcare

Abstract

Violence is one of the most uncontrollable social phenomena that exists in all countries, wielding an impact on all professions and vocations in society and affecting individuals of all ages and ethic groups. The violence that is seen in health institutions is discussed in terms of verbal or behavioral threats, physical or sexual assaults that place health professionals at risk and are directed at healthcare workers by patients, patients' families or any other individuals. As violent acts against healthcare workers become increasingly more common occurrences, the issue of violence in the realm of healthcare services continues to grow in significance to the extent that healthcare personnel are at constant risk of being targets of violence. Nurses are a group of healthcare workers that face the highest risk of exposure to violence. Nurses become victims of violence at the hands of their colleagues, other healthcare team members as well as patients and patients' relatives, consequently sustaining physical and psychological damages. This article was written to call attention to the importance of preventing violence in a quality healthcare setting in the context of enabling nurses to work with high motivation in safe hospital environments.

Keywords

• violence
• nursing
• health
• healthcare workers