Nurses' Perceptions of Patient Violence: Exposure, Expectation, Risk Factors and Risk Tolerance.

Background: There are known risk factors for patient violence, but it is not known whether nurses are aware of them. Nurses' expectations regarding exposure to patient violence and risk tolerance have not been investigated.

Aim: To examine hospital-based nurses' frequency of and expectations regarding exposure to patient violence, risk factors perceived to be associated with violence and self-reported risk tolerance.