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| Authors | M Balzan JP Tabone M DAnastasi D Falzon T Bugeja |
| Abstract | Aim: To quantify the level of abuse suffered by doctors working in A&E. Method: All doctors working in the A&E department during August and September were asked to answer a questionnaire about abuse by patients/ general public. This questionnaire was based upon a similar one designed by the Royal College of Nurses to be able to have comparable results. Doctors working in paediatric casualty have separate results. Results: The response rate was 87.5% (35/40) 19 males and 16 females. Results show that 94.286% of doctors working at A&E Department suffered some sort of abuse, over the past year. 5 of the current doctors working in A&E have reported physical abuse. 4 of these over the past 3 years. Only 4 doctors did something about the physical abuse and only 1 was satisfied with the outcome. Results (paediatric casualty): The response rate here was 76%. 58% reported harassment, 68% reported verbal abuse and one doctor claimed physical assault in the last 12 months. Conclusions: The level of abuse of doctors is very high. Verbal abuse is at a particularly high level. A large amount of abuse goes unreported. Of the abuse that is reported, the level of satisfaction with the outcome is low. |
Published in: | |
| Journal | Malta Medical Journal |
| Volume | 15 Issue 1-2/suppl. 2003 |
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| Key words | accident and emergency, doctor, physical, verbal, abuse |