PTSD in psychiatric nurses and other mental health providers: a review of the literature

Abstract

Psychiatric nurses are subject to a high rate of assault by patients. The stress of exposure to assault and the potential for assault appear to impact nurses' emotional states in the form of post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most studies report a prevalence rate of PTSD in this population of between 9-10%. Training in the management of aggressive patients, participating in Critical Incident Debriefing, and having routine structured debriefing meetings may play a role in facilitating the development of resilience in nurses with respect to the risk of PTSD. Knowledge about the state of the science regarding aggression and PTSD is necessary for clinicians and researchers to develop and test effective strategies. This article presents a review of the current literature on this topic.