Nurses are among those occupational groups in the health service most exposed to violence. Brodie Paterson, David Leadbetter and Vaughan Bowie discuss the emotional responses to trauma and consider best practice in post incident support for health care workers

THE RECOGNITION of violence in the healthcare workplace as a potential threat to the welfare of nurses has focused largely on the prevention of violence. However, it is now accepted that although violence may be reduced, it will not be eliminated (Bowie 1996), and interest has grown in how nurses and other healthcare workers exposed to assault, verbal abuse or other forms of violence can be supported.