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American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias logoLink to American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias
. 2001 Jul-Aug;16(4):230–233. doi: 10.1177/153331750101600406

The employee victim of violence: Recognizing the impect of untreated psychological trauma

Raymond B Flannery Jr 1
PMCID: PMC10833782  PMID: 11501345

Abstract

The impact of psychological trauma in the workplace often goes unaddressed. The untreated aftermath of these critical incidents may manifest itself in various states of anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, and even subsequent violence by the victims. This paper reviews common presentations of untreated traumatic events and provides suggestions for outreach to untreated employee victims as well as basic prevention strategies to reduce the risk of additional episodes of violence and enhance safety in health care facilities, including long-term care (LTC) and special-care units (SCU) for dementia patients.

Keywords: acute stress disorder (ASD), employee victims, long-term care (LTC), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), special-care units (SCU), workplace violence

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