The experiences of inpatient aggression on the mental health of psychiatric nurses: Literature review

Abstract

Aggression towards nurses is a widespread issue, with over 90% of nurses describing some form of aggression from patients. However, there is limited research done on how this aggression affects their mental and physical health. The aim of this study is to explore the factors / things affecting to nurses’ experiences of inpatient aggression. The purpose of this study is to describe which factors / things affect in nurses’ experience of inpatient aggression while providing care, and to raise awareness for head nurses who oversee developing measure to address aggression. This study was implemented as a literature review. The databases used to collect the data were CINAHL and PubMed, resulting in 5 articles that were critically appraised and had their content analyzed. This resulted in four main themes: the experienced aggression, the health consequences, the experienced support and the road from aggression to recovery. The results indicate that many nurses frequently face aggression in inpatient settings, leading to various physical consequences such as physical injuries, difficulties sleeping, fatigue, and increased alcohol and drug consumption, as well as mental health consequences such as PTSD, burnout and emotional exhaustion. Additionally, there are reports of various kinds of incident support which could worsen the consequences, leaving nurses vulnerable to burnout, stress, and emotional exhaustion. In conclusion, aggression is a significant problem that occurs in healthcare. With long-term implications for nurses’ health, job performance and enjoyment. Increasing support and further research are crucial to understanding and addressing the long-term impact on nurses’ wellbeing.