This paper examines workplace violence as it affects professional nurses in the United States, where healthcare workers account for approximately two-thirds of all nonfatal workplace violence injuries. Drawing on literature from the American Nurses Association, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), the paper reviews the scope of the problem, surveys state legislation and Joint Commission standards designed to protect nursing staff, and considers how other public and private sector organizations have addressed similar challenges. The paper concludes by identifying practical, creative resources — including a NIOSH-developed training toolkit — that hospitals can use to build a culture of zero tolerance and reduce the incidence of violence against nurses.
The paper effectively uses a literature-review structure to synthesize multiple authoritative sources — government agencies, professional nursing associations, and peer-reviewed journals — into a coherent policy argument. By moving from problem definition to comparative analysis to actionable recommendations, it models how academic writing can bridge descriptive research and practical application.
The paper opens with an introduction framing the problem and previewing the structure. A central review-and-analysis section addresses four sequential questions: how the problem affects nursing practice, how it could be solved with unlimited resources, how other professions have handled it, and what creative resources are available. A brief conclusion synthesizes the key findings. This question-driven scaffold keeps the argument focused and reader-friendly throughout.
Professional nurses are on the frontlines of healthcare, and unfortunately the war metaphor is all too accurate in many cases. Hospitals can be dangerous places for all healthcare employees, but nurses are particularly vulnerable to violence because of the frequent one-on-one contact they have with patients who may be suffering from a wide range of medical conditions that could trigger a violent episode. To determine how this problem is adversely affecting nursing practice, this paper reviews the literature on workplace violence and nurses, considers how the problem could be solved if resources and cooperation were unlimited, and examines how other professions have addressed similar challenges. A description of the resources needed to creatively address the problem is followed by a summary of key findings in the conclusion.
Violence against nurses is a serious problem in the United States. Healthcare workers have accounted for fully 66% of all nonfatal workplace violence injuries over the past decade. According to the editors of American Nurse (2013), "These workers face the risk of both physical violence and non-physical violence, such as verbal abuse, on the job" (p. 4).
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has defined workplace violence as "any physical assault, threatening behavior or verbal abuse occurring in the workplace" (Workplace violence, 2014, para. 1). In this context, workplace violence also includes covert or overt actions spanning the continuum from verbal abuse to murder (Workplace violence, 2014).
Moreover, there are no federal standards in place for protecting nurses in the workplace, although some states have recognized the problem and taken steps to enact laws protecting nurses and other healthcare workers (Workplace violence, 2014). These states have already developed, or are in the process of developing, legislation that will require comprehensive prevention programs for healthcare workers as well as enhanced penalties for assault convictions involving nurses and others in the healthcare workplace (Workplace violence, 2014).
A breakdown of current state laws concerning workplace violence and nurses is provided below:
Requires employer-run workplace violence programs (New York's legislation is limited to public employers only): CA, CT, IL, MD, NJ, NY, OR.
Establishes or increases penalties for assault of nurses (note: penalties apply only to mental health personnel in KS; public health personnel in MS; and emergency room personnel, which includes nurses, in LA): AL, AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, HI, ID, IL, IA, KS, LA, MI, MS, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, RI, TN, VT, VA, WV, and WY.
Authorizes hospitals to post warnings regarding violent behaviors: OH.
Hawaii passed a resolution urging employers to develop and implement standards of conduct and policies for managers and employees to reduce workplace bullying and promote healthful, safe work environments.
In addition, the Joint Commission has developed standards for protecting nurses in the workplace, including the following:
Joint Commission Standard LD.03.01.01: Leaders create and maintain a culture of safety and quality throughout the organization.
Element A4: Leaders develop a code of conduct that defines acceptable behavior and behaviors that undermine a culture of safety.
Element A5: Leaders create and implement a process for managing behaviors that undermine a culture of safety (applicable to ambulatory care, critical access hospital, home care, hospital, laboratory, long-term care, Medicare–Medicaid, certification-based long-term care, office-based surgery programs, and behavioral health care programs) (Workplace violence, 2014, para. 3).
The research showed that healthcare workers account for fully two-thirds of all workplace violence incidents in the United States each year, and nurses in particular are vulnerable to violence. Given the nature of the environment, the research also showed that it is unlikely that violence against nurses can ever be completely eliminated; however, establishing zero-tolerance policies, posting signage concerning applicable penalties, and providing nurses with targeted training can go a long way toward mitigating the problem. Furthermore, the research demonstrated that not only patients but also family members and visitors can be sources of violence in hospital settings, making timely interventions and comprehensive training absolutely essential for professional nurses today. Although violence in healthcare settings will likely never be fully eradicated, healthcare organizations can take meaningful steps to minimize the impact of these events on healthcare personnel in general and nursing professionals in particular.
You’re 59% through this paper. Sign up to read the remaining 3 sections.
Sign Up Now — Instant Access Already a member? Log inAlways verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.