Emergency department workers' perceptions of security officers' effectiveness during violent events.
OBJECTIVE
The emergency department (ED) is among the most at-risk settings for violence by patients and visitors against ED workers. A first response to potential or actual events of workplace violence is often contacting hospital security officers for assistance. The purpose of this study is to describe ED workers' views of security officers' effectiveness during actual events of verbal and/or physical violence.


METHODS
Healthcare workers (n=31) from an urban pediatric ED in the Midwest United States.


METHODS
Participants were interviewed regarding their experiences with workplace violence. Verbatim transcripts were qualitatively analyzed.


RESULTS
Six themes were identified: (1) a need for security officers, (2) security officers' availability and response, (3) security officers' presence or involvement, (4) security officers' ability to handle violent situations, (5) security officers' role with restraints, and (6) security officers' role with access.


CONCLUSIONS
It is important that early communication between security officers and ED workers takes place before violent events occur. A uniform understanding of the roles and responsibilities of security officers should be clearly communicated to ED workers. Future research needs to be conducted with hospital-based security officers to describe their perceptions about their role in the prevention and management of workplace violence.
University of Cincinnati College of Nursing, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0038, USA. gordon.gillespie@uc.edu
Gordon Lee
GL
Gillespie
Donna M
DM
Gates
Margaret
M
Miller
Patricia Kunz
PK
Howard
D000328:Adult; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D015146:Midwestern United States; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000592:standards; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D024382:Professional Role; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012149:Restraint, Physical / Q000592:standards; D017751:Safety Management / Q000592:standards; D012637:Security Measures / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012938:Social Perception; D019037:Urban Health Services; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000078329:Workforce; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*