Building Momentum Toward Ending Workplace Violence: Multidisciplinary Strategies to Maximize Healthcare Safety While Mitigating Factors of Risk

Abstract

Objective:

Health care workers are sustaining significant numbers of workplace violence events, and health care organizations are called to respond. Through critical evaluation, comprehensive planning, and thoughtful steps into action, organizational leaders and direct care staff must work collaboratively to meet the demands of the dynamic health care landscape. Our objective is to identify multidisciplinary, evidence-based practice strategies through the use of tools, innovation, and education to equip health care teams in building a culture of personal and organizational safety.

Methods:

A subject-focused review of international research, government, professional, and regulatory guidelines dated 2015 to 2024 was used to identify evidence-based practices and current barriers in workplace violence mitigation. The global nature of workplace violence suggests a need to explore human-centric solutions, and a multidisciplinary framework is ideal to examine the current climate, identify gaps in education and practice, and explore the impact of environmental conditions contributing to workplace violence. Through layered primary, secondary, and tertiary violence prevention strategies, health care systems may engage in continuous quality improvement, elevate interpersonal safety, and mitigate risks associated with workplace violence.

Results:

Deepening conversations and establishing multi-team engagement around workplace violence expands an organization’s capacity to break work silos and build processes that can effectively activate organizational change.

Conclusions:

With amplified attention to workplace violence, organizations must be committed to addressing the problem from all sides. Through identifying risk factors and mitigation strategies, targeting education, and empowering health care teams, organizations can navigate a strong path toward a safer future for patients, staff, and communities.