An Exploration of Why Healthcare Professionals Under-Report Observed Patient Aggression

An Exploration of Why Healthcare Professionals Under-Report Observed Patient Aggression Authors: Sydney Bonta & Lisa L. Scherer, Ph.D. Advisor: Lisa L. Scherer, Ph.D. According to the 2011 US Bureau of Justice Statistics report, medical professionals experienced the third highest proportion of workplace violence (WPV), with violence primarily emanating from patient. In a national survey of nurses employed in hospitals, 76% stated that they had encountered some sort of violence in their workplace (Speroni, Fitch, Dawson, Dugan, Atherton, & Leesburg, 2014). Similarly, patient aggression against physicians has long been a problem (Morrison, Lantos, Levinson, 1998). Despite this widespread exposure to WPV and the physical and emotional consequences for the victims of this violence, patient violence is severely under-reported. The purpose of this study is to review reasons for this failure of healthcare providers to report patient violence they have suffered and to identify more effective practices for encouraging reporting and ultimately promoting safer work environments for medical staff