Violence Against Nurses in the Emergency Department

Violence Against Nurses in the Emergency Department Kimberly L. Kirk Professional Nursing Practice of the Baccalaureate Nurse August 8, 2014 Violence against Nurses in the Emergency Department According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, workplace violence is defined as â€Å"an act of aggression directed toward persons at work or on duty, ranging from offensive or threatening language to homicide† (Wolf, Delao Perhats, 2014, p.305). Workplace violence (WPV) can include verbal, physical, and emotional abuse, or any type of threatening behavior that can cause physical or emotional harm. According to the Emergency Nurse’s Association Position Statement (2010), â€Å"workplace violence is a†¦show more content†¦Despite the lack of reporting, it is clear that emergency department nurses are frequently victims of violence perpetrated by patients and visitors (Gates et al., 2012, p. 203). Prosecution to the full extent of the law is necessary to decrease the perception that violence against nurses is acceptable. Greater support from public officials and management is necessary to combat this growing problem, with the instit ution of specific policies and procedures. Movement toward a nonviolent workplace will result in higher nurse satisfaction and retention. To effectively establish and address the issue, more research, support from hospital management, and stronger legislation is necessary. References Violence in the Emergency Care Setting. (2010, January 1). Retrieved , from http://www.ena.org/about/position/position/Pages/Default.aspx Gates, D., Gillespie, G., Smith, C., Rode, J., Kowalenko, T., Smith, B. Using action research to plan a violence prevention program for emergency department. (2011). Journal of Emergency Nursing, 37, 32-39. Gillespie, G., Gates, D., Mentzel, T., Al-Natour, A., Kowalenko, T. Evaluation of a Comprehensive ED Violence Prevention Program. (2013). Journal of Emergency Nursing, 39, 376-383. Pich, J, Hazelton, M., Sundin, D., Kable, A. Patient-related Violence Against Emergency Department Nurses. (2010). Nursing Health Sciences, 12, 268-274. Wolf, L., Delao, A., Perhats, C. Nothing Changes,Show MoreRelatedPatient Violence Towards Nursing Personnel772 Words   |  3 PagesViolence in all its forms has increased dramatically worldwide in recent decades (Balamurugan, Jose Nandakumar, 2012). According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) report, nearly two million American workers report having been victims of workplace violence each year (2011). Among those at highest risks for violence in the healthcare setting are nurses, social workers and psychiatric evaluators (OSHA, 2011). 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