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.