Gewalt und Gewaltprävention in der stationären Altenpflege während der COVID-19-Pandemie.

Violence and Violence Prevention in Nursing Homes during the COVID-19 Pandemic - A partial analysis of Interviews with Managers or Team Leaders Abstract. Background: During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, strict infection control measures were in force in long-term residential care in Germany that burdened staff and isolated residents socially. Both are considered risk factors for violence in long-term residential care. Questions: How does violence develop in nursing homes under pandemic conditions from the point of view of managers and how do strategies for preventing violence change? Methods: Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with staff in 43 nursing homes: 25 with service managers, 15 with nurse managers, 28 with nursing team leaders and 10 with registered nurses with extended tasks. The interviews were recorded as audio, transcribed and analysed in five steps following the "Thematic Framework Analysis". Results: The infection control measures were partly perceived as deprivation of freedom. Residents, relatives and staff partly reacted most with verbal violence. Nevertheless, the issue of violence was not a major concern for management and preventive measures were not carried out. Conclusions: The results show that strategies to prevent violence might not be sufficiently established in the institutions involved and would have to be adapted to the conditions of the pandemic. Further research is needed to evaluate infection control measures in their potential to increase the incidence of violence.