More than 5,200 nursing personnel were assaulted in the second quarter of 2022, with patients being the largest source of violence, according to newly released data from Press Ganey.
In the second quarter of 2022, an analysis of Press Ganey's National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators showed that on average, two nurses were assaulted every hour. That translates to about 57 assaults per day and 5,217 per quarter, according to findings published Sept. 8. The findings are based on the organization's analysis of 483 U.S. facilities in its national database.
The majority of aggressors are patients, Press Ganey found. Psychiatric units and emergency departments saw the highest number of assaults, while obstetrics and neonatal intensive care units had the lowest number of reported nurse assaults.
"Nurses take an oath to do no harm, and many put their own safety and health at risk to help a patient. However, violence should not be considered 'just part of the job,'" said Jeff Doucette, DNP, RN, chief nursing officer at Press Ganey. "What's especially concerning about these numbers is that they are likely even higher, as assaults generally go underreported by healthcare professionals — and nurses in particular."
To mitigate violence toward nurses, Press Ganey said organizations should implement reporting systems and formal policies for risk identification, among other steps.