title: Violence against nurses working in US emergency departments.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to investigate emergency nurses' experiences and perceptions of violence from patients and visitors in US emergency departments (EDs).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The ED is a particularly vulnerable setting for workplace violence, and because of a lack of standardized measurement and reporting mechanisms for violence in healthcare settings, data are scarce.
  
  
  METHODS
  Registered nurse members (n = 3,465) of the Emergency Nurses Association participated in this cross-sectional study by completing a 69-item survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 25% of respondents reported experiencing physical violence more than 20 times in the past 3 years, and almost 20% reported experiencing verbal abuse more than 200 times during the same period. Respondents who experienced frequent physical violence and/or frequent verbal abuse indicated fear of retaliation and lack of support from hospital administration and ED management as barriers to reporting workplace violence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Violence against ED nurses is highly prevalent. Precipitating factors to violent incidents identified by respondents is consistent with the research literature; however, there is considerable potential to mitigate these factors. Commitment from hospital administrators, ED managers, and hospital security is necessary to facilitate improvement and ensure a safer workplace for ED nurses.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Nurses Association, Des Plaines, Illinois 60016, USA. jgacki-smith@ena.org
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gacki-Smith
authors.forename: Altair M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Juarez
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boyett
authors.forename: Cathy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Homeyer
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: MacLean
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009729:Nursing; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012938:Social Perception; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017132:Workplace; D055815:Young Adult