Violence faced by staff in a learning disability service

Abstract

This study explores the issue of violence experienced by staff in the learning disability service of an NHS Trust. Based on the literature review a questionnaire survey was sent to all staff employed in the Trust's learning disability service (n = 295). The questionnaire sought: background details of respondents; numerical incidences and types of violence experienced over the previous 12 months; reporting mechanisms; reactions to and impact of violence on individuals and their work; support received. Vignettes provide a rich picture of the types of violent incidences and their impact. The findings show that 81% of staff in the learning disability service had experienced violence in the previous 12 months. Many had numerous experiences of violence. New and inexperienced staff are particularly vulnerable. Training and support systems are, on the whole, limited. Support received from colleagues is generally regarded as more helpful than that of line management. To explore good practice elsewhere, semi-structured interviews were held with individuals working with potentially violent clients in organizations other than the learning disability service. Suggestions are offered for putting in place human resource strategies to reduce the incidences of violence and provide appropriate post-incident support for staff on a continuing basis.

Multiple Risk Factors for Violence to Seven Occupational Groups in the Swedish Caring Sector

“…The results of the current study suggest that low age involves an increased risk of exposure among all occupational groups. This is a result generally in line with the findings of other studies (Whittington and Wykes 1994;Arnetz, Arnetz and Petterson 1996;Whittington, Shuttleworth and Hill 1996;Kiely and Pankhurst 1998;Nolan et al 1999;Lee et al 1999;Fazzone et al 2000;Riopelle et al 2000;Soares, Lawoko and Nolan 2000;Duncan et al 2001). However, Lanza et al (1991) did not find any significant age difference between assaulted and nonassaulted nurses.…”

“…The same observation-that gender has no significance for being a target of violence or threat-has been recorded in other studies (Lanza et al 1991;Whittington and Wykes 1994;Wynn and Bratlid 1998). However, some investigations suggest that male nurses more often tend to be victims of violence than females (Arnetz, Arnetz and Petterson 1996;Knudsen 1999;Love and Hunter 1996;Arnetz and Arnetz 2000), and that women are more often exposed than men (Kiely and Pankhurst 1998). One possible explanation for the discrepancy in findings is that there is variation with regard to workplace, job tasks, and clients' disposition to aggression.…”

“…Whittington, Shuttleworth and Hill (1996) found, in a study of workplace violence in a general hospital, that 21 percent of personnel had experienced physical assault over the preceding 12 months, 43 percent verbal abuse, and 17 percent threats of some kind. Kiely and Pankhurst (1998) found that 81 percent of staff in a learning disability service had experienced violence during the year preceding investigation. By contrast, Budd, Arvey and Lawless (1996) found that only 2.5 percent of full-time workers (in all types of occupations) reported having been physically attacked at work over a 12-month period, and only 7.4 percent reported having been subject to threat.…”

“…In fact, only a handful of studies can be found in these areas (e.g. Colenda and Hamer 1991;Dougherty et al 1992;Ghaziuddin and Ghaziuddin 1992;Lusk 1992;Gage and Kingdom 1995;Kendra 1996;Kendra et al 1996;Kiely and Pankhurst 1998;Gates, Fitzwater and Meyer 1999;Lee et al 1999;Fazzone et al 2000), and very few are concerned with Sweden in particular (e.g. Saveman et al 1999;Menckel, Carter and Viitasara 2000;Menckel and Viitasara 2002).…”

“…Such factors might include, for example, demographic characteristics of care providers with regard to age, gender or occupational experience (Whittington and Wykes 1994;Arnetz, Arnetz and Petterson 1996;Whittington, Shuttleworth and Hill 1996;Cole et al 1997;Kiely and Pankhurst 1998;Gates, Fitzwater and Meyer 1999;Lee et al 1999;Nolan et al 1999;Fazzone et al 2000;Soares, Lawoko and Nolan 2000).…”