title: Nurses' attitudes towards the reporting of violence in the emergency department.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence of workplace violence against nurses in emergency departments is underreported. Thus, the true nature and frequency of violent incidents remains unknown. It is therefore difficult to address the problem.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To identify the attitudes, barriers and enablers of emergency nurses to the reporting of workplace violence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a phenomenological approach, two focus groups were conducted at a tertiary emergency department. The data were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Violent incidents in this emergency department were underreported. Nurses accepted violence as part of their normal working day, and therefore were less likely to report it. Violent incidents were not defined as 'violence' if no physical injury was sustained, therefore it was not reported. Nurses were also motivated to report formally in order to protect themselves from any possible future complaints made by perpetrators. The current formal reporting system was a major barrier to reporting because it was difficult and time consuming to use. Nurses reported violence using methods other than the designated reporting system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While emergency nurses do report violence, they do not use the formal reporting system. When they did use the formal reporting system they were motivated to do so in order to protect themselves. As a consequence of underreporting, the nature and extent of workplace violence remains unknown.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Frankston, Victoria 3199, Australia; Emergency Department, Monash Health, Dandenong Hospital, David Street, Dandenong, Victoria 3175, Australia.
authors.forename: Kathryn M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Hogarth
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Frankston, Victoria 3199, Australia.
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beattie
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Frankston, Victoria 3199, Australia. Electronic address: Julia.morphet@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morphet
mesh_terms: D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D016529:Emergency Nursing; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D016134:Organizational Policy; D010465:Perception; D057566:Self Report; D014739:Victoria; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Emergency department; Nursing; Qualitative research; Reporting violence; Risk management; Workplace violence