Violence, aggression and physical assault in healthcare settings.

All healthcare professionals are at risk from violent and aggressive patients, however, it has been found that nurses are at particular risk. The actual incidence is difficult to determine because the definition of what constitutes a physical assault or a violent event is vague. This article considers how the terms violence, aggression and physical assault are conceptualised in the healthcare setting and suggests that nursing staff need to identify and act on any incident that compromises their personal safety.