Workplace Violence and Its Impact on the Emergency Nurse Position Statement-Workplace Violence and Its Impact on the Emergency Nurse Position Statement

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Workplace violence (WPV) is a global epidemic that has a negative impact on emergency nurses and healthcare delivery. The prevalence of WPV in the healthcare industry is four times higher than in other private industries. The emergency department (ED) is particularly vulnerable to violence due to factors like public access, crowding, long wait times, and the presence of weapons. Nurses in the ED are at a serious occupational risk for both verbal and physical assaults.<br /><br />Although some states have recognized WPV as a violent crime, there is a lack of standardized definitions and laws protecting nurses. Many emergency nurses are reluctant to report incidents of violence due to various reasons, including the belief that it is not violence if there is no injury, laborious reporting processes, and the expectation that violence is part of the job.<br /><br />WPV has significant impacts on emergency nurses, leading to burnout, job dissatisfaction, and intentions to leave the profession. This can result in decreased productivity, organizational commitment, and engagement, ultimately exacerbating the nursing shortage.<br /><br />To address WPV, it is recommended to improve the practice environment by modifying physical features, increasing staff training, and focusing on prevention and mitigation. The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) asserts that emergency nurses have the right to personal safety, education, and reporting incidents of WPV without reprisal. ENA also advocates for the adoption of legislation that focuses on the prevention of WPV and protection of emergency nurses.<br /><br />A comprehensive approach involving multiple stakeholders, including healthcare administrators, ED managers, clinicians, and security personnel, is necessary to effectively prevent and address WPV. Further research is needed to determine effective prevention and mitigation strategies and to standardize definitions and incident reporting.<br /><br />Overall, the impact of WPV on emergency nurses and the healthcare system is significant, highlighting the need for comprehensive measures to address this issue.

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Keywords

Workplace violence

global epidemic

emergency nurses

healthcare delivery

prevalence

healthcare industry

emergency department

occupational risk

verbal assaults

physical assaults