A recent study of emergency departments in Michigan was released in the Annals of Emergency Medicine showed at over ¾ of 171 emergency physicians surveyed experienced at least one violent act within the previous year. While this included verbal threats, 28% were physically assaulted. Nearly 12% were confronted outside the ED and 3.5% were stalked.
Amazingly enough, this led to 42% of the doctors seeking personal protection, including obtaining a gun (18%) or a knife (20%). Emergency doctors encounter criminals brought to the hospital as a result of their crime, intoxicated patients and distraught family members of clients.
The study also looked at psychiatrists, internists and family doctors. There were numerous anecdotes of physicians assaulted by patients at their office and in their homes, often by disgruntled former patients.
"Workplace violence: A survey of emergency physicians in the State of Michigan,"Annals of Emergency Medicine, abstract, online exclusive (www2.us.elsevierhealth.com/scripts/om.dll/serve?action=searchdb&searchdbfor=art&arttype=abs&id=as0196064404015045&nav=abs)
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