Study: Interventions needed to protect nurses from assaults

Assaults on nursing staff steadily increased from 14,434 in 2019 to 23,768 in 2023, according to a study published in the June issue of Nurse Leader, based on a data analysis of Press Ganey’s National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators. Physical assaults were the most common type of reported assault, with an estimated 50% of incidents not resulting in injury. Psychiatric units reported the highest assault rates, followed by emergency departments. Patients comprised the primary assailants, representing 95% to 98% of all assaults. The authors call for physical barriers and weapons screening equipment in psychiatric and emergency settings. They also recommend federal funding to provide access to physical barriers and training. They contend increasing penalties for attacks on healthcare workers could prevent would-be assailants.