Mental Health Nurses' Attitudes and Perceived Self-Efficacy Toward Inpatient Aggression: A Cross-Sectional Study of Associations With Nurse-Related Characteristics

Abstract

Purpose: To explore mental health nurses' attitude and self-efficacy to adult inpatient aggression, and to explore the association with nurse-related characteristics. Design and Method: Cross-sectional study in a sample of 219 mental health nurses in nine psychiatric hospitals, with stepwise linear regression analysis to detect predictive models. Findings: Female and less experienced nurses were less likely to blame patients for their behavior. Gender, burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction accounted for 26.2% of the variability in mental health nurses' self-efficacy toward aggression. Practice Implications: There needs to be attention to professional quality of life for mental health nurses, to provide them with of self-efficacy and a positive attitude toward coping with aggression.