Appendix 1. SOVES-A questionnaire

This questionnaire was based on the original Survey of Violence Experienced by Staff (SOVES).

1. Please specify your job title:

2. Please indicate status of post:

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   Please state average weekly hours worked, excluding overtime

3. Please describe your current workplace (eg medical unit, surgical unit, psychiatric unit, community care, emergency care, child care, care of the elderly, administration, etc.)

4. Please estimate the percentage of your working time that involves contact with patients/clients:

5. Please indicate whether your post is primarily:

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6. Please state length of service working in health/social care:

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7. Please state length of service in your current position

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8. Please indicate whether you are:

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9. Please enter your current age in years in the box provided

10. In your current role, have you ever been subjected to verbal abuse directed towards you in your workplace? (eg abusive or offensive language, personally derogatory remarks, profanity, or obscene comments):

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    If Yes, please indicate the categories which best describe the source(s) and frequency of that abuse within the past 4 weeks (Please tick all applicable boxes):

    
    

    

    If other, please specify

11. In your current role, have you ever been threatened in your workplace (eg warnings of intent to injure, harassment, physical intimidation, threat with a weapon)?

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    If Yes, please indicate the categories which best describe the source(s) and frequency of threats directed towards you within the past 4 weeks (please tick all applicable boxes):

    
    

    

    If other, please specify

12. In your current role, have you ever been physically assaulted in your workplace (eg slapping, pinching, pushing, shoving, spitting, kicking, use of a weapon)?

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    If yes, please indicate the categories which best describe the source(s) and frequency of that abuse within the past 4 weeks (please tick all applicable boxes):

    
    

    

    If other, please specify

13. Following the most recent occurrence of physical assault in the workplace, how would you classify any physical injury sustained?

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14. Have you had formal de-escalation and/or breakaway training in the last 3 years?

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15. Have you ever received training in the management of potentially violent individuals?

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    Thank you for your valuable contribution to this study. All information in this questionnaire is confidential, and no individual responses will be identifiable.

• © 2013 Royal College of Physicians