Nurses' attitudes towards professional containment methods used in psychiatric wards and perceptions of aggression in Turkey

Aims and objective The aim of this study was to determine nurses' attitudes towards professional containment methods and to explore the relationship between those attitudes and nurses' perception of aggression. Background Different containment methods are used in psychiatric wards when patients behave aggressively towards others or exhibit self‐harm. It is known that in addition to patient‐specific and environmental influences, many factors related to the staff influence the choice of containment method. One of these factors is the perception of aggression. Design A cross‐sectional descriptive design was used and the sample consisted of 144 nurses who are employed in a psychiatric hospital in Istanbul and who volunteered to participate in the study. Method Data were collected using a questionnaire addressing the socio‐demographic and professional features of nurses and using the attitudes to professional containment methods and Perception of Aggression Scale. Results While pro re nata medication was used commonly, time‐out was infrequently used in the wards. Intermittent observation, pro re nata medication and containment in the psychiatric intensive care unit were the most approved methods. The use of net beds was the least approved method. Nurses who perceive aggression as dysfunctional/undesirable are more likely to approve compulsory intramuscular medication and mechanical restraint. Conclusion These results showed that nurses' perception of aggression is an important factor influencing the choice of a professional containment method. Relevance to clinical practice This study might lead to closer critiquing of psychiatric ward nurses' attitudes towards professional containment methods, leading to a decrease in the usage of these methods.