Employee violence in health care: guidelines for health care organizations

Workplace violence is increasing, and health care environments are not immune to this escalating public health problem. In order to prevent or diminish the risk of a violent episode in the health care setting committed by employees, former employees, or family/significant others, health care managers need to be cognizant of certain factors associated with violence in the workplace. These variables include employee characteristics and behavior patterns, coworker indicators, organizational policies and procedures, mentally impaired employees, and so forth. Prevention strategies, use of employee assistance programs, managerial responses in escalating situations, impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and postviolence interventions must also be considered as part of progressive health care system administration, relative to the phenomenon of workplace violence.