Workplace violence prevention for nurses on-line course: Program development

Many entry-level and experienced healthcare professionals have not received training in workplace violence prevention strategies.

This paper describes the development, content, and initial qualitative evaluation of an on-line course designed to give healthcare workers an opportunity to acquire free workplace violence prevention training while earning free continuing education units.

A group of healthcare violence prevention researchers worked via email and face-to-face meetings to decide appropriate content for the course. Educational strategies used in the course include: text; video re-enactments of real-life workplace violence incidents; and videos of nurses discussing incidents of violence. Initial evaluation involved a focus group of nurses to discuss the course content and navigation.

The on-line course has thirteen units that take approximately 15 minutes each to complete. The focus group participants liked the ``resume-where-you-left-off'' technology that enables the user to complete any portion of the course, leave to do something, and return to the course where they left off. Participants viewed the ``Nurses' Voices'' videos as relevant illustrations of violence that nurses face in their workplaces.

The focus group participants considered the course to be an effective learning tool for people new to the profession and for those with seniority.