Relation between policies and work related assault: Minnesota Nurses' Study.

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Public Health Policy
• Nursing Research

Background:

• Work-related assaults pose a significant risk to healthcare professionals.
• Understanding the impact of violence prevention policies is crucial for improving nurse safety.
• Previous research indicates a need for effective strategies to mitigate workplace violence in nursing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between workplace violence prevention policies and the occurrence of work-related assaults among nurses.
• To determine if specific policy types offer protection against physical assault in the nursing profession.

Main Methods:

• A population-based survey of 6300 Minnesota nurses was conducted (Phase 1).
• A case-control study involving 1900 nurses examined exposures related to workplace violence, including eight policy items (Phase 2).
• Multiple regression analyses and sensitivity analyses were employed to assess policy impact and control for confounding factors.

Main Results:

• A zero tolerance policy was associated with a reduced odds of physical assault (OR = 0.5, 95% CI 0.4 to 0.8).
• Policies prohibiting specific violent behaviors also decreased the odds of assault (OR = 0.5, 95% CI 0.3 to 0.9).
• Adjusted analyses confirmed these protective effects, with minimal changes in effect estimates.

Conclusions:

• Certain workplace violence prevention policies demonstrate a protective effect for nurses.
• The findings suggest that implementing comprehensive violence prevention policies can enhance nurse safety.
• These policies may contribute to a reduction in work-related assaults within the nursing population.