PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES WITH HANDLING VIOLE NCE IN THE PSYCHIATRIC-HOSPITAL

Open or hidden violence tends to be ubiquitous in the psychiatric hosp ital. It causes tensions, anxiousness, burnout, and much human sufferi ng. Especially exposed are psychiatric nurses. In the present paper ob servations and experiences with violence are presented: dealing with d isruptive patients needs intensive and periodical training although vi olence should not be accepted as a common daily phenomenon. Overstimul ation by crowded wards and noise, but also lack of occupation are impo rtant triggers. Victims should be given solidarity by peers and superi ours, whereas analyses of the events tend to cause further trauma. Fin ally it should be kept in mind that victims often suffer from posttrau matic stress disorders.