Organizational Determinants of Workplace Violence Against Hospital Workers

The authors present results from a workplace violence survey of 446 employees in a midwestern hospital system. Risk factors included interpersonal conflict (verbal violence), low work efficiency (i.e., how well tasks are planned and carried out; physical violence), and a “poor violence prevention climate” (both types of violence). Registered nurses, mental health technicians, and security staff were at statistically significant increased risk for physical violence. The authors emphasized the protective nature of a positive workplace violence prevention climate.