Workplace violence perpetrated by clients of health care: A need for safety and trauma ‐informed care

ConclusionHealthcare services can be experienced as stressful environments. Coupled with high incidences of past trauma, clients ’ assessment of risk and safety can be compromised resulting in inappropriate reactivity when staff are trying to provide care. Care provision can be perceived as a threat to clients’ physical and psychological safety, activating the fight protective response resulting in aggression. Understandi ng and applying neuroscience and implementing a cultural change of trauma‐informed care have the potential to reduce workplace violence. Even with these understandings, it is imperative that healthcare staff are protected and feel safe at work.Relevance to clinical practiceUnderstanding trauma and the neuroscience of threat and safety can assist staff to understand what happens to clients that causes them to instigate violence against healthcare providers and implement systems and strategies to respond to such threat.

Source: Journal of Clinical Nursing - October 30, 2018 Category: Nursing Authors: Jill Beattie, Debra Griffiths, Kelli Innes, Julia Morphet Tags: ORIGINAL ARTICLE Source Type: research