title: Worker-on-worker violence among hospital employees.
abstract: Violence toward hospital workers is an internationally recognized occupational hazard. While patients are frequently perpetrators of physical violence, other employees are often responsible for acts of nonphysical violence. However, few hospitals have systems for documenting and monitoring worker-on-worker violence. This study encompassed all incidents of worker-on-worker violence recorded by employees in a hospital system database over a six-year period. Incidence rates per 100 full-time equivalents (FTEs) and rate ratios (RR) were calculated by year, hospital, and job category. The majority (87%) of worker-on-worker incidents involved nonphysical conflict. The overall incidence rate was 1.65/100 FTEs, ranging among the six hospitals from 0.54 to 3.42/100 FTEs. Based on multivariate analysis, no single professional group was at increased risk for worker-on-worker violence. Co-worker violence threatens the well-being of hospital employees and should be regularly tracked with other forms of workplace violence so that suitable intervention programs can be implemented and assessed.
authors: Wayne State University School of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, MI 48201, USA. jarnetz@med.wayne.edu
authors: Judith E
authors: JE
authors: Arnetz
authors: Deanna
authors: D
authors: Aranyos
authors: Joel
authors: J
authors: Ager
authors: Mark J
authors: MJ
authors: Upfal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015146:Midwestern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019037:Urban Health Services; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017132:Workplace / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult