Enough is enough: alcohol-related violence and aggression is experienced by almost all ED staff, survey finds
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A comprehensive survey of over 1200 hospital emergency department (ED) staff across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand has found that almost all staff experience physical and verbal aggression from alcohol-affected patients, with half of all ED staff experiencing physical violence weekly or monthly.
The study also found that two-thirds of ED staff believed the problem of alcohol-affected patients had worsened in the five years before the survey in mid-2022, with the authors calling for the presence of 24/7 security staff to protect all ED staff and for evidence-based policies to reduce harm in our community.
The study, published in the journal Emergency Medicine Australasia and led by Professor Diana Egerton-Warburton from the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, surveyed 1284 ED staff between 1 August and 11 September 2022 and related to the previous 12-month period. The study reveals the huge impact the presence of alcohol-affected patients has on other patients and the function of the ED, with longer wait times in 86 percent of cases and negatively impacting the care of other patients in 88 per cent. Over two-thirds of ED staff surveyed believed alcohol-related occupational violence and aggression has worsened over the preceding 5 years.
The study, titled Enough is Enough: Alcohol-Related Occupational Violence and Aggression in Emergency Departments in Australia and New Zealand was co-authored by clinicians and researchers from the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine. It demonstrated that alcohol-related occupational violence and aggression negatively impact staff wellness and job satisfaction. “This will impact staff retention at a time when the health system desperately needs capacity”, Professor Egerton-Warburton said.
According to Professor Egerton-Warburton, almost 1:10 ED presentations are alcohol-related, increasing to 1:7 at peak alcohol consumption times, according to a 2014 study. “As a result, ED staff are at the frontline when it comes to managing alcohol-related presentations and their consequences,” she said.
“In the ED setting, alcohol-related violence and aggression puts additional demand on staff, including the need for increased security personnel with these events requiring security staff, as well as medical and nursing staff to attend.”
The authors conclude that all EDs in Australia and New Zealand should have 24/7 trained security staff to protect staff and act as a deterrent. “Security staff however can’t be in front of every punch and spit. Given the frequency of alcohol-related violence and aggression experienced by ED staff, effective public health measures should be instituted at a population level,” Professor Egerton-Warburton said. “Stronger evidenced-based public policy measures such as price and availability of alcohol are urgently needed”.
About Monash University
Monash University is Australia’s largest university with more than 80,000 students. In the 60 years since its foundation, it has developed a reputation for world-leading high-impact research, quality teaching, and inspiring innovation.
With four campuses in Australia and a presence in Malaysia, China, India, Indonesia and Italy, it is one of the most internationalised Australian universities.
As a leading international medical research university with the largest medical faculty in Australia and integration with leading Australian teaching hospitals, we consistently rank in the top 50 universities worldwide for clinical, pre-clinical and health sciences.
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