Strategies used by nursing staff in situations of workplace violence in a haemodialysis unit.

OBJECTIVE: To identify strategies that nursing staff use at a haemodialysis unit in situations of violence by patients during care.

METHOD: Qualitative descriptive and exploratory research with focus groups and the participation of eight workers of the nursing staff of a private haemodialysis unit in southern Brazil. The data were subjected to thematic content analysis.

RESULTS: The adopted strategies are described in the following categories: Tolerating violence due to the patient's health condition; Working around conflicting situations and giving in to patient's requests; Adopting a position of rejection to violence; and Staying away from the aggressor patient.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: Workers and, above all, the institution in the role of mediator, must work together to prevent and discourage violence in the workplace.