Violence in the Emergency Department: Recognition, Prevention, and Response
Violence in the emergency department has become a significant occupational hazard for nurses and healthcare professionals. Emergency departments are high-stress environments where overcrowding, long wait times, acute illness, mental health crises, substance use, and emotionally charged situations can escalate into verbal threats, physical assault, intimidation, and workplace bullying.
This continuing education course examines the prevalence, causes, and impact of violence in the emergency department, with a focus on early recognition, prevention strategies, and professional response. Learners will explore real-world case scenarios involving patient-initiated violence, family-driven aggression, intoxication-related crises, provider intimidation, and lateral violence among staff. Regulatory guidance, legislative trends, and organizational responsibilities for workplace violence prevention are also reviewed.
Designed for emergency nurses and other healthcare professionals, this course emphasizes safety, communication, leadership accountability, and systems-based approaches to creating safer emergency care environments.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, the participant will be able to:
- Identify common types of workplace violence encountered in the emergency department.
- Recognize early warning signs of escalating aggressive behavior in patients, visitors, and coworkers.
- Describe patient, environmental, and organizational factors that contribute to violence in emergency settings.
- Explain the impact of workplace violence on healthcare workers, patient care, and organizational outcomes.
- Identify appropriate reporting, documentation, and post-incident support processes following violent events.
Curriculum
Chapter 1: Recognition, Risk Factors, Prevention, and Impact
- Defining Workplace Violence
- Current Prevalence and Trends
- Contributing Factors
- Early Warning Signs of Escalating Violence
- Prevention and De-Escalation Strategies
- Organizational Responsibility and Leadership Accountability
- The Impact of Violence
Chapter 2: Case Studies
- Case Scenario 1: Escalation in a Patient in Custody
- Case Scenario 2: Family-Driven Violence Related to Wait Times
- Case Scenario 3: Intoxication and Acute Behavioral Crisis
- Case Scenario 4: Worker-on-Worker Violence and Leadership Response
- Case Scenario 5: Lateral Violence Toward a New Graduate Nurse
Chapter 3: Regulatory, Legislative, and Organizational Response
- National Organizations and Regulatory Guidance
- Legislative Efforts Addressing Healthcare Workplace Violence
- Organizational Responsibility and Accountability
- Reporting, Documentation, and Post-Incident Support
- Looking Forward: Building Safer Emergency Departments
Price: $12.00
Contact Hour: 1
Course Author
Kendall Moore
Kendall is a 2022 Magna Cum Laude graduate from Tyler Junior College with an Associate Degree in Nursing. She has a deep passion for nutrition and hormone health, is a member of the American Holistic Nurses Association, and is currently enrolled in Pacific College's RN-to-BSN in Holistic Nursing program. Upon graduation, Kendall intends to begin a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner program to further expand her expertise.
In addition to her academic and professional pursuits, Kendall serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Pedagogy, where she manages the day-to-day operations of the company while simultaneously attending school and authoring educational courses. Her unique blend of leadership, clinical knowledge, and dedication to holistic health reflects her commitment to advancing both patient care and healthcare education.
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