ABSTRACT
Aggression towards nurses and other health professionals is relatively commonplace, with most incidents occurring in the areas of psychiatry, learning disabilities, accident and emergency and elderly care (Wykes 1994). Although aggression is stereotypically associated with young males and excessive alcohol, the likelihood of aggression is increased in all population groups as a consequence of factors associated with illness. In order to understand the reasons for this, we will examine the basic causes of anger and aggression, before exploring what can be done to minimise them.
