Intervention and Strategies to Prevent Workplace Violence From Patients and Visitors Against Nurses: An Integrative Review.

Abstract

AIM To synthesise the existing literature on effective interventions aligned with the 2015 U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines to address workplace violence against nurses. DESIGN An integrative review. METHODS PubMed, Embase, CINAH, and PsycINFO databases were searched for articles published between 2010 and 2023. Articles addressing WPV interventions and published in English were included. RESULTS Thirty-seven of 834 articles met the inclusion criteria. The review revealed several strategies to address workplace violence in healthcare settings, with staff training being the most common strategy. However, most interventions were researcher-designed, often excluding input from nurses or other stakeholders. Limited managerial support for nurses following the incidents was another prominent finding. CONCLUSION Although safety training programmes are common, there are critical gaps in managerial support and nurse involvement in intervention development. Further research should focus on incorporating nurse contributions and strengthening managerial support to enhance prevention efforts. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE Addressing workplace violence in healthcare settings requires a comprehensive approach beyond safety training. Active nurses' participation in intervention design and enhanced managerial support are essential for creating effective solutions. Healthcare administrators should create environments that empower nurses to contribute to solutions. IMPACT This review highlights existing gaps in interventions and emphasises the need for collaborative and nurse-centered approaches to address workplace violence. REPORTING METHOD The reporting of this review was guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION No patient or public contribution.