Workplace Violence

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) workplace violence is defined as any “physical and psychological damaging actions that occur in the workplace or while on duty.”

NIOSH classifies workplace violence into four basic types. Types II and III are the most common in the health care industry. (Types I and IV are not addressed in this position statement.)

Type I: Involves “criminal intent.” In this type of workplace violence, “individuals with criminal intent have no relationship to the business or its employees.”

Type II: Involves a customer, client, or patient. In this type, an “individual has a relationship with the business and becomes violent while receiving services.”Type III: Violence involves a “worker-on-worker” relationship and includes “employees who attack or threaten another employee.”

Type IV: Violence involves personal relationships. It includes “individuals who have interpersonal relationships with the intended target but no relationship to the business.” (Iowa Prevention Research Center, 2001; NIOSH, 2006, 2013)

Joint Commission – There is now a Leadership Standard (LD.03.01.01) to promote workplace safety and prevent violence in the health care setting.  Learn more at the Joint Commission Workplace Violence Prevention site.

 Summary

Violence against nurses may be verbal, such as verbal abuse, displays of hostility or harassment or may be a physical attack or assault. Threats made against nurses are also considered acts of aggression. No matter what type of act of violence nurses may experience, it is not part of the job and should be reported to the employer and in some cases to law enforcement.

Workplace Violence
in South Carolina

Workplace
Violence Legislation

South Carolina
State Resources

While we know there are acts of aggression, violence, and even fatal assaults, such as stabbings and shootings on nurses and other health care personnel, it is difficult to determine the exact number in the state of South Carolina. In 2018, U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics reported that approximately 10.4 per 10,000 employees were harmed in some way and that an estimated “44% of nurses reported experiencing workplace violence” while “68% reported experiencing verbal abuse during the pandemic.” More recent data indicated that nurses experienced a violent act, such as an assault at a rate of 2 nurses per hour in the United States in the second quarter of this year. (SCHA, 2022)

The goal of workplace violence legislation is to ensure that there are enforceable standards in place to prevent and protect health care professionals as well as to put penalties in place for physical assaults and harassing behavior. Legislation can be difficult to pass and requires us to be advocates for ourselves. Below are a few of the current initiatives:

The Improving Care and Access to Nurses (ICAN) Act – Federal legislation - Senate Bill (S.5212) and House Bill (HR 8812)

• Has been endorsed by more than 160 health care organizations, removes various administrative & practice barriers for APRNs which would improve access to health care

South Carolina House Bill - H3847 (2019) -legislative process stalled, opposed by behavioral health groups

South Carolina House Bill - H4558 (2021) –legislative process stalled, opposed by behavioral health groups

South Carolina Hospital Association Workplace Violence Toolkit – coming soon

 NEW!  SCNA WPV Survey Results 2023

Other
Programs

Other
Resources

Federals
Resources

• Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) Workplace Violence

• ANA Workplace Violence Website

• ANA Incivility, Bullying, and Workplace Violence

• The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH): Developing and Implementing a Workplace Violence Policy

   

  
  

  Crisis Prevention Institute

  
  

• Prevention First handout

• Verbal Intervention Training handout

• Nonviolent Crisis Intervention 2nd Edition Training

• 5 Tips for Reducing Violence in Your Hospital

• Noninvasive Ways of Managing Disruptive, Assaultive Behavior

• Seven Principles for Effective Verbal Intervention

• Top 10 De-Escalation Tips

• 4 Tips for De-Escalating Behaviors

• De-Escalation Tips in Light of Coronavirus Anxiety

• The 12 Essential Elements for Promoting Person-Centered Care

• NEW - Nurses Report Increased Violence, Continuing Effects of COVID in 2022
  Despite staffing shortages and burnout, 82% of nurses surveyed said they would choose nursing as their profession again, according to the American Nurse Journal’s sixth annual Trends and Salary Survey. More than 4,300 nurses completed the 2022 Nursing Trends and Salary Survey. Read more  about the nurses report and effects of COVID-19 on nurse staffing, here.
  
  

• Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Online Course: Workplace Violence Prevention for Nurses (CDC Course No. WB2908 – NIOSH Pub. No. 2013)

• OSHA (2016). Guidelines for preventing workplace violence for healthcare and social service worker

• OSHA Workplace Violence Training & Other Resources

• TJC Workplace Violence Prevention Resources

• TJC recommended resource for reporting process

  
  

• Workplace Violence Prevention for Nurses (NIOSH)

• CDC Workplace Violence Prevention for Nurses

• ENA Workplace Violence Prevention

• Violence Prevention Continuing Education (ANA)

• Workplace Violence against Nurses: What You Can Do -- A Free On-Demand Webinar

If you have any questions about workplace violence, would like to submit resources, or become involved, please contact SCNA at info@scnurses.org.