ABSTRACT
Objective
To identify strategies that nursing staff use at a haemodialysis unit in situations of violence by patients during care.
Method
Qualitative descriptive and exploratory research with focus groups and the participation of eight workers of the nursing staff of a private haemodialysis unit in southern Brazil. The data were subjected to thematic content analysis.
Results
The adopted strategies are described in the following categories: Tolerating violence due to the patient’s health condition; Working around conflicting situations and giving in to patient’s requests; Adopting a position of rejection to violence; and Staying away from the aggressor patient.
Final considerations
Workers and, above all, the institution in the role of mediator, must work together to prevent and discourage violence in the workplace.
Nursing; Workplace violence; Strategies; Renal dialysis; Occupational health