Violence in the emergency room
pp. 39-53
in: William E. Fann, Robert H. Williams, Robert R. Williams, Robert C. Williams, Comstock (eds), Phenomenology and treatment of psychiatric emergencies, Berlin, Springer, 1984Abstract
The emergency department (ED)—the attending physicians, the psychiatric consultant, the nurse, and the security personnel—has the responsibility and the mandate to control the violent patient, contain the violent situation, and bring both to resolution through swift, effective intervention. This mandate encompasses four aspects which constitute the thrust of this chapter: (1) an exploration of the ED as a focus for violence intervention, (2) the causes of violence, (3) the management of violence, and (4) staff difficulties in addressing the violent patient.