Workplace Violence Prevalence and Risk Factors in the Safe at Work Study

Objective: Nurses face one of the highest rates of reported workplace violence (WPV). This research examined the prevalence of WPV and demographic, work-related, and adult and childhood abuse histories as risk factors for WPV among 2166 nurses/nursing personnel across four health care institutions in one US metropolitan area. Methods: Using data from an online cross-sectional survey, multivariate logistic regression was utilized to determine risk factors for physical and psychological WPV. Results: Almost one-third (30%) of nurses/nursing personnel experienced WPV (19.4% physical, 19.9% psychological). Risk factors included being a nurse, white, male, working in the emergency department, older age, longer employment, childhood abuse, and intimate partner violence. Conclusions: Adult and childhood abuse histories have not been considered in previous large-scale investigations, but were significant risk factors along with other previously identified risk factors for WPV.