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violence

The following articles have the tag violence

Warning on drug restrictions causing bad behaviour

AN INCREASE in threatening and illegal behaviour by doctor shoppers could be a negative consequence of the new restrictions on controlled drugs, some experts have warned.

Advice on managing aggressive patients

KEEPING patients informed of waiting times and providing a comfortable waiting room are among simple steps that can deter difficult patients from violence, experts say.   But GP practices need a system to alert staff to potentially aggressive patients, and pre-agreed management plans for known problem-makers, emergency physicians advise.   In a paper in Australian Prescriber on managing violence against healthcare workers, doctors say a sign in the waiting room should make clear that aggression and violence are not tolerated.   Staff should also know their personal safety is a priority. ...

GPs facing violence and sex harassment

ONE in six GPs has been physically abused in their career by a patient and nearly one in five has faced sexual harassment, an Australian  study has revealed. The first national survey of patient violence and aggression in general practice found verbal abuse was the most common form of aggressive behaviour experienced by GPs, with 88% experiencing it at some point in their career, and 58% experiencing it in the last 12 months. Carried out by researchers from the Australian Primary Health Care Research Institute, the survey of 782 GPs also indicated that doctors felt they were ...

Too little done to reduce violence in practices, say GPs, staff

MOST GPs and practice staff believe not enough is being done to minimise the risk of assault or abuse by patients, a survey has found. Australia's first national survey of violence and aggression against GPs and practice staff reveals 88% of GPs have experienced some form of verbal aggression from patients, with 58% having faced it in the past year. The 782 GP responses received by researchers at the Australian National University also revealed 16% respondents had been assaulted by a patient. Perceived periods of highest risk were closing time, after hours and during staff shortages, ...

E-health record to identify violent patients

PATIENTS with a history of violence should be identified by a marker on their e-health record, according to the Northern Ireland branch of the British Medical Association (BMA). BMA (NI) chair Dr Paul Darragh said information about violent patients should be shared between all healthcare organisations including primary, secondary and community care organisations, to enable staff to take appropriate precautions to ensure their own safety. The calls come as Northern Ireland deals with an increase in attacks on health and social workers. "BMA (NI) has repeatedly highlighted the unacceptable rise in physical and verbal abuse that ...

Not guilty verdict for patient who stabbed doctor

A PATIENT who stabbed a Sydney GP has been found not guilty by reason of mental illness. Dr Theodore Rothonis was stabbed several times in the chest and back during a consultation last year with 65-year-old Peter Ivan Zvonaric, of Waterloo, at the Waterloo Medical Centre. Though he was found not guilty, Mr Zvonaric will now be detained indefinitely in Long Bay Prison Hospital, or other mental health facility, until such time as the NSW Mental Health Tribunal is satisfied he is no longer a danger to the public. According to evidence, Mr Zvonaric’s motive for ...

Most nurse abuse unreported

Most nurse abuse unreported

NURSES are attacked and verbally abused at a worrying rate – but most incidents are never reported, according to an Australian study. Researchers from WA have urged nursing bodies to make it easier for nurses to report violence and abuse after concluding nurses in all settings believe it is 'just a part of the job'. Study co-author Dr Rose Chapman (PhD) from Perth’s Curtin University of Technology wants jurisdictions to address the reporting process when reporting incidents of abuse. "Our research shows that a high number of nurses don’t do anything about incidents because they’ve become ...

Men’s health policy ‘missing the mark’ on male violence

CONCERNS have been raised over the focus of Australia’s delayed National Male Health Policy, with fears that political correctness could hamper its effectiveness and relevance. Originally due to be released in 2009, the policy has not yet been launched. A spokesperson for Minister for Indigenous Health Warren Snowdon, who oversees men’s health, said it was now being finalised and would be released in the “near future”. However, aspects of the draft policy have been questioned by men’s health experts and interest groups. Of particular concern is the proposed section on violence, which some experts believe ...

New mums face social issues

MORE than a third of new mothers are grappling with ‘social health’ issues such as family violence, housing or financial problems, a conference has heard. However, primary care opportunities to inquire about women’s psychosocial health after birth were being missed, Dr Jane Yelland (PhD) told the Public Health Association of Australia conference in Canberra last week. Dr Yelland, research fellow at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, said a survey of 2000 women conducted six months after childbirth found that while many had seen a GP or nurse several times, few had been asked about social issues ...

Dire public health forecast for global crisis

THE public health impact of the economic crisis could be significant, according to European researchers who estimate rates of suicide, violence and alcohol abuse could rise. The researchers assessed unemployment rates, government health and welfare spending and mortality data in 26 European countries between 1970 and 2007. They estimated that for every 1% increase in unemployment in developed countries there was a 0.79% increase in suicide among people younger than 65 years. A sharp rise in the number of jobless (more than 3% in a year) had a much greater effect on suicide, and had led ...

Revised guidelines on abuse and violence available soon

THE RACGP has launched new efforts to improve GP identification and management of patients involved in abusive situations or who are survivors of abuse and violence. Its third edition guidelines ‘Abuse and violence: Working with our patients in general practice’, addresses general practice presentation and management of domestic violence, perpetrators of domestic violence, child abuse, adult survivors of child abuse, sexual assault and elder abuse. RACGP president Dr Chris Mitchell said finding the right way to communicate about violence and abuse was complex for both GPs and their patients, and he hoped the guide would help GPs ...