Facing abuse, distress, and violence from patients and their relatives is a challenge for doctors. Situations such as vandalization and physical harm can be stressful and demand major action. However, maintaining calm and understanding the reason behind such behavior is important. This article summarizes some of the ways of handling such violence. Doctors often face violence from patients and their families.
Doctor-patient conflicts, emotional outbursts, and abuses in emergency wards followed by physical assaults and vandalization have become a part of routine practice. This has led to a tremendous increase in the stress levels of the medical fraternity in the country. According to a survey conducted by the Indian Medical Association in the year 2017, 82.7% of Indian doctors feel stressed in their profession, the main reason being fear of violence. 1 Interpreting the reason behind…
