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Disruptive behavior in acute- and chronic-care facilities is a common and complex problem for patients, families, and staff; yet the phenomenon has received little empirical study. Because a caregiver's perception of the different aspects of disruptive behavior has an important effect on both decision making and outcome, nurses' perception of disruptive behavior was evaluated. One hundred sixty-seven (167) nurses in two acute-care hospitals and three large nursing homes were studied using a 29-item Disruptive Behavior Inventory. The results demonstrate that nurses' perceptions of behavior varies not only with the kinds of behavior exhibited by patients, but also with nurses' level of responsibility in caring for patients, and with characteristics of the facility in which the nurses work.
Sternberg et al. (Sun,) studied this question.