Citation

Wolf L, Perhats C, Delao A, Brim CB, Gentry JC, Leaver SL, Papa AR, Proud ME, Riwitis CL, Rogers KS, Stone EL, Uhlenbrock JS, Winger J, Zaleski ME, Lee Gillespie G, Kolbuk ME. J. Emerg. Nurs. 2020; 46(3): 354-358.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Emergency Nurses Association, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jen.2020.01.005

PMID

32389208

Abstract

In 2002, the World Health Organization declared workplace violence to be a global epidemic with a negative impact on the retention of health personnel and delivery of health care. 1 The violence also results in significant economic, personal, and professional costs. 1 , 2 , 3 In the United States, the prevalence of workplace violence in the health care industry is 4 times higher than in other private industries. 4 Ease of public access, crowding, long wait times, presence of weapons, and other factors make the emergency department a highly vulnerable area, 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 especially where triage occurs. 10 , 11 Emergency nurses and other ED staff are at serious occupational risk of experiencing workplace violence, including verbal and physical assaults. 5 , 6 , 7 For these reasons, workplace violence has been recognized in many states as a violent crime. 12 Yet, at the time of this publication, only about 30 states have adopted laws that make it a felony to assault a registered nurse. 13 Other ongoing legislative initiatives include the introduction of the “HR 1309: Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act” in 2019 and continued advocacy and evaluation of state-based felony reforms.

Language: en