AGGRESSION AS A RISK FACTOR IN HEALTH CARE

Purpose: To study and analyze the behavior of nurses after aggression by patients or their relatives. Material/Methods: The opinion of nurses working in therapeutic, surgical and intensive care units was studied (n=128). Questionnaires were used to assess the type of aggression displayed by the patient and the nurses' behavior. Documentary, sociological and statistical methods were used. Results: Verbal aggression by patients or their relatives occurs more often than physical aggression. Nurses indicate that they accept the patient's aggression as part of the nature of work, not paying attention to the patient's aggression (62.5%). The strategies applied by nurses after being the object of aggression were mainly sharing with family members, using food products, smoking, keeping silent/not discussing the event. The emotional feelings that aggression in the workplace causes are apathy, irritation/anger, and desire to leave as a reaction to aggressive behaviour. A relationship was established between the support received from the team and job satisfaction. Conclusion: Workplace aggression has a negative impact on the quality of professional activity and professional satisfaction. It is a negative factor in providing health care. It is a precondition for making mistakes.