PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

INTRODUCTION: Violence against medical staff is a known problem in emergency departments. Nevertheless, there is little empirical data about physical and verbal violence against staff members in delivery rooms in Germany.; METHODS: This study comprises both quantitative and qualitative analyses. For the quantitative part, midwives and doctors working in delivery rooms in Berlin were asked to fill out a questionnaire about their experiences with violence within the last 6 months; this survey was completed between 15 November 2019 and 15 February 2020. For the qualitative part, structured interviews were conducted to investigate individual experiences of violence in more detail.; RESULTS: Out of 173 participants in total, 148 (86%) reported to have experienced verbal violence and 82 (47%) reported to have experienced physical violence. Midwives and younger staff seem to be more often affected by violence. 70% of the participants did not feel sufficiently prepared for situations of violence. In a total of 36 interviews, the participants specifically named communicative problems, too high expectations of the pregnant women and their companion, as well as language barrier and cultural differences as reasons for furthering violence.; CONCLUSION: Violence against staff is a relevant problem in delivery rooms in Berlin. Participants would welcome training to deal with violence and professional help for coming to terms with experiences of violence. Improved information about pregnancy and delivery, institutionalized translation, and more staff could possibly help to decrease frequency of violence. Thieme. All rights reserved.