Workplace Violence Prevention in Healthcare

Workplace violence includes employment-related abuse, threats, intimidation, and assault. It is an occupational health and safety hazard, not an unavoidable condition of nursing work. Risk is dynamic. A patient's delirium, intoxication, withdrawal, psychosis, pain, or fear may combine with environmental features such as crowding, poor visibility, uncontrolled access, or long waits. Understaffing, isolated work, and weak reporting systems can further reduce the team's ability to detect and respond early. The nurse therefore assesses the person, the setting, and the available support rather than trying to predict violence from a diagnosis alone. The bedside response follows a safety sequence: recognize escalation, create distance and an exit, summon help, use calm de-escalation, and escalate to the least restrictive intervention only when necessary. Afterward, report the event, obtain care for injuries, and participate in review so the system becomes safer for the next encounter. Canadian occupational health and safety duties vary by province or territory, so local legislation and employer policy determine the exact reporting, work-refusal, and restraint requirements.