Workplace Violence Resources 

Overview

The health care industry leads all other sectors in the incidence of nonfatal workplace assaults, and the emergency department is a particularly vulnerable setting. Workplace violence is a significant occupational hazard facing emergency nurses. Workplace violence is one of ENA’s three practice priorities. This page highlights ENA’s workplace violence initiatives along with additional resources.

Initiatives

ENA Workplace Violence Toolkit       

This web-based toolkit takes a practical, step-by-step approach to tackling the issue of workplace violence. The toolkit walks the participants through a logical project plan that produces:

• An environmental assessment of their emergency department
• An assessment of staff perceptions of workplace violence
• A targeted project plan that outlines the intended goals and action items needed to improve issues affecting workplace safety
• Project evaluations and documentation that can be used for ongoing improvement and to help demonstrate a culture of safety in the emergency department

The toolkit houses a library of resources, sample forms, policies, checklists and staff education materials to help emergency department leaders or designated staff easily inititate and conduct an ongoing quality improvement project aimed at violence prevention. 

Launch the ENA Workplace Violence Toolkit

Emergency Department Violence Surveillance (EDVS) Study           

ENA initiated a workplace violence surveillance study in 2009 to collect data on a quarterly basis via an online survey from emergency nurses on the occurrence of violence toward nurses and the processes used to respond to workplace violence.

        2011

• 2011 EDVS Report: This two-year report represents analysis of eight consecutive rounds of data collected approximately three months apart (May 2009 - January 2011).

        2010

• 2010 EDVS Report: This report represents analysis of the first four consecutive rounds of data collected approximately three months apart (May 2009 - February 2010).
• EDVS Study Presentation (ENA 2011 Leadership Conference)

Study on Violence Against Nurses in U.S. Emergency Departments (Published 2009)

A total of 3,465 emergency nurses who were ENA members participated in a cross-sectional study aimed at investigating emergency nurses' experiences and perceptions of workplace violence, the types of and frequencies of assaults, and the contributing factors to workplace violence.

• Violence Against Nurses Working in U.S. Emergency Departments: Published in the July/August 2009 issue of The Journal of Nursing Administration

Additional ENA Resources

• Government Affairs: ENA Violence Advocacy Packet 
• Position Statement: Violence in the Emergency Care Setting
• State Criminal Laws Protecting Health Care Professionals
• State Workplace Violence Laws Protecting Health Care Professionals

Federal Resources

• Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Health Care & Social Service Workers
  (Occupational Safety and Health Administration)
• Handbook on Workplace Violence Prevention and Response (US Department of Agriculture)
• Violence: Occupational Hazards in Hospitals (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)
• Workplace Violence: Issues in Response (Federal Bureau of Investigation)

Victim Advocacy Resources

• National Center for Victims of Crime 
• Office for Victims of Crime
• Writing a Victim Impact Statement