Workplace violence can refer to either physical or psychological actions that happen while on duty. In an annual report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in both the healthcare and social sectors of the workforce, in 2013, 13% of days away from work in the United States were the result of violence. As the years have passed, healthcare and social workers have been fighting for protections from workplace violence, and it has even gone to the federal level of government in the United States.

The Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, which is sponsored by Rep. Joe Courteny, D-Conn, passed the House Committee on Education and Labor and is on its way to being voted on the House floor. Under this act, healthcare employers would be required to place a violence prevention plan in order to protect their employees. This general standard would be issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, who would oversee each employer.

Jean Ross, RN and President of National Nurses United, stated in a news release, “[the] vote is a big step forward in passing legislation that would hold our employers accountable, through federal OSHA, for having a prevention plan in place to stop workplace violence before it occurs—literally a life or death issue.”

This is a huge step for nurses and other healthcare employees across the United States. The definition of workplace violence, according to the federal government, as “verbal threats and physical assaults occurring to workers while on duty.” Half of all non-fatal injuries due to workplace violence are the victims of healthcare violence.

There are four types of workplace violence that exist, and any of these types can happen in a healthcare facility:

• Type 1: Violence with criminal intent, like with robbery or an attempt in murder

• Type 2: Assault by a client, patient, or student within the facility

• Type 3: Violence between co-workers

• Type 4: Domestic violence at work

The most common in healthcare settings is type 2. Nurses and other healthcare workers that work in psychiatric settings, emergency departments, geriatric and geropsychiatric units, and intensive care centers are especially vulnerable to workplace violence. Other healthcare work, like home health and community-based healthcare, carries their own set of risks.

For any setting, patients and visitors with a history of past violent behavior and are considered high-risk. American Nurse Today highlighted several characteristics that might cause a patient to become violent. Some of them are if the patient has an acute psychiatric emergency, if they are developmentally disabled, and if a patient who was once previously violent becomes frustrated, or is in pain or under stressed.

Prevention programs of workplace violence

Hospitals and medical programs should have prevention programs that would take multidisciplinary cooperation against workplace violence. As a nurse, you can start finding out your facility’s policy and programs that attempt to prevent workplace. American Nurse Today gives a few questions that you should ask your workplace. These include:

• What is your workplace’s definition of workplace violence?
• Do they have detailed procedures or offer training for handling violent patients or visitors?
• Is the upper-management committed to preventing violence, like do they have a violence program or a committee that deals with violent moments?
• How does the facility keep track of these incidents, which can include verbal violence, threats, and damage to property?
• What types of hazard controls are in place to help prevent violence? Are there alarms, cameras, or security guards?
• Is there violence prevention training in the facility? Does this training have qualified and competent instructors?
• Does the facility review their policies and strategies frequently?

Not every facility has a policy on workplace violence. If they do not, there are several sources of information that can help facilities implement workplace violence programs. Some states even have workplace safety agencies that give advice and consultation to employers. The American Nurses Association also offers information on their website and has a brochure titled “Preventing Workplace Violence”. There are other associations and nurse unions that can also offer information to nurses to help make their facility safe.