INTRODUCTION: A large number of patients and their families waiting for help in ED, deteriorating health, high levels of stress and a recent sudden event, such as an accident, assault, life or health threaten the patient’s anxiety, fear or fright that may result in irrational or violent behavior. These behaviors may be a threat to both the patient and the environment. This work aims to determine the exposure of nursing staff employed in ED for aggression on the part of patients. 

METHODS: The research was carried out in the Masovian Province, in the Prague Hospital in Warsaw, in the Brodnowski Mazowieckie Hospital in Warsaw and in the Independent Public Health Care Team in Minsk Mazowiecki, from January to March 2018. The study was attended by 50 nurses working in ED. 

RESULTS: According to the surveys carried out, nursing Staff in ED meets with the aggression of patients very often, ie at least once every few days — this is confirmed by as many as 60% of the respondents. For frequent contact with aggressive patients (ie on average once a week) indicates 28% of respondents, and the remaining 12% contact aggressive patients on average once a month. The most frequent type of aggres- sion manifested by ED patients is verbal aggression — 68% of respondents contact it. 22% indicate physical aggression directed to nursing staff, and 10% for physical aggression but directed to objects. 

CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our data indicate that: (1) Aggression of patients in ED is a very frequent phenomenon, and the level of high personnel exposure — aggression is recorded at least once every few days. There is no clear relationship between the increase in the number of aggressive patients on certain days of the week or the time of day, although there is a tendency to note such cases on weekends and at night; (2) The most common type of aggression undertaken by ED patients is verbal aggression manifested in insults, insults, shouting, threats and intimidation;