How nurses and other healthcare workers perceived aggressions in psychiatric units: an Italian observational study

BACKGROUND: Aggressions in psychiatric units is a problem that affects all countries around the world. However, no studied assessing the psycho-physical consequences of violence in the workplace perceived by their health care workers. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of violence and aggression suffered by psychiatric health professionals according to security levels perceived, anxiety and depression conditions. METHODS: An observational study was conducted from March 2017 to December 2019 on a sample of professionals working in the psychiatric unit belonging to Northern, Central and Southern Italy, divided into two groups: the nursing group and the other healthcare workers group, respectively. Then, administering an ad-hoc questionnaire, security levels and psychological conditions, as anxiety and depression levels, were assessed among participants. RESULTS: Overall, 360 health care workers in the various psychiatric settings were enrolled. A moderate level of security on their workplaces was perceived. Moderate levels of state anxiety and extreme depression levels were detected in 9.72% of participants. CONCLUSIONS: It emerged the need to increase workers' awareness in aggressions in psychiatric wards in order to provide adequate training about the risk of aggressions and consequent psychological stress.