Violence in the Emergency Department

Keith R Stowell; Nolan P Hughes; John S Rozel

doi:10.1016/j.psc.2016.07.003

Violence in the Emergency Department

Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2016 Dec;39(4):557-566. doi: 10.1016/j.psc.2016.07.003. Epub 2016 Sep 28.

Authors

Keith R Stowell¹, Nolan P Hughes², John S Rozel²

Affiliations

¹ Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 Ohara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3811 Ohara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.

PMID: 27836151
DOI: 10.1016/j.psc.2016.07.003

Abstract

Violence is common in the emergency department (ED). The ED setting has numerous environmental risk factors for violence, including poor staffing, lack of privacy, overcrowding, and ready availability of nonsecured equipment that can be used as weapons. Strategies can be taken to mitigate the risk of violence toward health care workers, including staff training, changes to the ED layout, appropriate use of security, and policy-level changes. Health care providers in the ED should be familiar with local case law and standards related to the duty to warn third parties when a violent threat is made by a patient.

Keywords: Aggression; Emergency department; Emergency psychiatry; Healthcare violence; Violence.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Attitude of Health Personnel
Emergency Service, Hospital*
Health Personnel / psychology
Humans
Patient Safety
Violence / psychology*
Workforce
Workplace Violence / prevention & control*