Workplace Violence Research
Workplace violence (WPV) is a hot topic issue for many employees within the healthcare industry. No one is immune to violence regardless of their employment setting or level of experience. Cherry and Jacob (2014) defined WPV as any abusive act that can lead to a hostile work environment. These abuses can be sexual, physical, verbal, or emotional in nature and a challenge to identify due to potential subjectivity (Cherry & Jacobs, 2014). According to Park, Cho, and Hong (2015), the growing rate of WPV has become a “global problem affecting not only people’s dignity but also their emotional and physical well-being” (p. 87). Nurses are at greater risk of WPV simply due to the amount of contact time they have with hostile patients, fatigued
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Law suits and the subsequent payout to victims are a major direct cost to healthcare institutions whereas stress, high turnover rates, and poor employee attendance indirectly impacts the financial bottom line (Papa & Venella, 2013). Speroni et al. (2014), estimated these costs incurring over $4.2 billion annually. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (2016) data indicated that nurses are four times more likely to require days off from work due to WPV rather than other types of injuries. If violence continues to grow within healthcare settings, younger generations may shy away from healthcare professions altogether, causing greater stress on the healthcare …show more content…
Nurses must know the potential dangers and advocate for safer work environments. The American Nurses Association (2015), unveiled a position statement indicating that violence would no longer be tolerated. The statement called on nurses, employers, and the government to work together in finding evidence-based strategies to reduce the incidence of WPV (American Nurses Association, 2015). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (2015) established guidelines and recommendations to reduce risks; however, there are currently no federal standards in place. Nurses are encouraged to advocate, speak up, and be active members of change. One way the American Nurses Association (ANA) suggest doing this is through membership (American Nurses Association, 2015). By being active in professional organizations, committees in the workplace, or lobbying the government; nurses can elicit change for a safer
Law suits and the subsequent payout to victims are a major direct cost to healthcare institutions whereas stress, high turnover rates, and poor employee attendance indirectly impacts the financial bottom line (Papa & Venella, 2013). Speroni et al. (2014), estimated these costs incurring over $4.2 billion annually. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (2016) data indicated that nurses are four times more likely to require days off from work due to WPV rather than other types of injuries. If violence continues to grow within healthcare settings, younger generations may shy away from healthcare professions altogether, causing greater stress on the healthcare …show more content…
Nurses must know the potential dangers and advocate for safer work environments. The American Nurses Association (2015), unveiled a position statement indicating that violence would no longer be tolerated. The statement called on nurses, employers, and the government to work together in finding evidence-based strategies to reduce the incidence of WPV (American Nurses Association, 2015). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (2015) established guidelines and recommendations to reduce risks; however, there are currently no federal standards in place. Nurses are encouraged to advocate, speak up, and be active members of change. One way the American Nurses Association (ANA) suggest doing this is through membership (American Nurses Association, 2015). By being active in professional organizations, committees in the workplace, or lobbying the government; nurses can elicit change for a safer