[Aggression of psychiatric patients--first results of a standardized documentation at the Gabersee district hospital].

After a cluster of severe assaults against our staff we performed a standardized documentation concerning aggressive behaviour of in-patients at the BZK Gabersee, a major District Hospital with a typical spectrum of psychiatric patients. From July 1996 to March 2001 23037 patients were admitted and 1618 cases of aggressive behaviour were documented. About 75% of the patients were males, more than 50% were treated involuntarily. The aggressions were most frequently directed against the nursing staff, severe injuries occurred very rarely. We tried to analyse triggers and the individual motivations of aggressive behaviour. Countermeasures were often aggressive as well (reinforced medication, restraint e.g.). The results are discussed in the context of the literature, approaches to cope with and to reduce aggressions are mentioned briefly.