Safety issues in psychiatric settings

Tinkara Pavšič Mrevlje (Author), Peter Umek (Author)

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to establish if mental health workers (nurses, doctors, clinical psychologists) in Slovene psychiatric settings perceive their work as potentially dangerous and which factors contribute mostly to these mindsets. On the basis of gained data recommendations for safety improvement are suggested. Design/Methods/Approach: Review of three studies conducted in different psychiatric settings in Slovenia. Findings: Just a few mental health workers perceive their work as dangerous. Among those that are most frequently victims of violent behaviour are male and female nurses, especially under circumstances of involuntary admission, involuntary pharmacological treatment and when special security measures are applied. Participants think that workers would need more self defence trainings, additional competent medical staff (foremost male nurses), communication trainings and better cooperation in their working teams. Moreover, those hurt in such incidents should get more systematic help. Sometimes security personnel also intervene, however, they are not qualified for such interventions and special trainings should be provided. Research limitations/implications: Our findings have a limited value because the studies have been performed in the course of different years, different questionnaires were applied and participants also differed (their profession, working tasks, demographic data etc.). Practical implications: Our findings can be used by psychiatric hospital management to plan trainings for mental health workers and organize them according to personnel’s necessities. Results also imply the necessity to train security personnel. Originality/Value: In the past merely analyses of incident reports were made on this topic. However, this paper sheds some light on perceptions and experiences of mental health workers directly exposed to patients’ violent behaviour.

Keywords

psychiatric setting;violent behaviour;mental health workers;safety;security personn;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2011
Typology:	1.02 - Review Article
Organization:	UM FVV - Faculty of Criminal Justice
UDC:	616.89-052:343.62
COBISS:	2306794
ISSN:	1580-0253
Parent publication:	Varstvoslovje
Views:	503
Downloads:	47
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
Metadata:

Other data

Secondary language:	Slovenian
Secondary title:	Občutek varnosti v psihiatričnih ustanovah
Secondary abstract:	Namen prispevka: V prispevku želimo dognati, ali zdravstveno osebje v slovenskih psihiatričnih ustanovah zaznava svoje delo kot ogrožajoče in kateri dejavniki k temu največ prispevajo. Na osnovi pridobljenih podatkov so predlagane izboljšave občutka varnosti. Metode: Naredili smo pregled treh študij, opravljenih v različnih psihiatričnih ustanovah v Sloveniji. Ugotovitve: Le manjši del zdravstvenega osebja (medicinske sestre, zdravstveni tehniki, zdravniki, klinični psihologi) zaznava svoje delo kot nevarno. Žrtve nasilnega vedenja psihiatričnih bolnikov so najpogosteje medicinske sestre in zdravstveni tehniki, predvsem ob sprejemu v bolnišnico proti volji, ob prisilnem zadrževanju oziroma oviranju in ob aplikaciji zdravil. Sodelujoči menijo, da bi potrebovali več usposabljanja s področja samoobrambe, dodatne kompetentne sodelavce, predvsem moškega spola, treninge komunikacije in boljše sodelovanje znotraj kolektiva. Poleg tega so mnenja, da bi zdravstveni delavci, ki so žrtve nasilnega vedenja bolnika, bili deležni sistematične pomoči. Občasno pri nasilnih dogodkih intervenira tudi varnostna služba, ki pa za tovrstne intervencije ni usposobljena, zato bi bilo potrebno organizirati posebna usposabljanja zanje. Omejitve/uporabnost raziskave: Ugotovitve imajo omejeno vrednost, saj so bile raziskave izvedene v različnih letih, podatki so bili zbrani na različen način pa tudi vzorci zaposlenih se razlikujejo (izobrazba, delovne naloge, demografski podatki itd.). Izvirnost/pomembnost prispevka: V preteklosti so bile na tem področju izvedene le analize poročil nasilnih dogodkov. Prispevek osvetljuje izkušnje in občutke ogroženosti zdravstvenih delavcev, ki so neposredno izpostavljeni v tovrstnih incidentih.
Secondary keywords:	psihiatrične ustanove;psihiatrične bolnišnice;nasilno vedenje;zdravstveni delavci;varnost;ogroženost;varnostne službe;
Type (COBISS):	Scientific work
Pages:	str. 431-443
Volume:	ǂLetn. ǂ13
Issue:	ǂšt. ǂ4
Chronology:	2011
ID:	11659199