Citation

Kynoch K, Liu XL, Cabilan CJ, Ramis MA. JBI Evid. Synth. 2024; 22(4): 515-517.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Joanna Briggs Institute, Publisher Wolters Kluwer)

DOI

10.11124/JBIES-24-00104

PMID

38600645

Abstract

Health care workers are constantly faced with the possibility of occupational violence from patients, visitors, and others. Occupational violence encompasses any physical or verbal aggressive behavior, including abuse, threats, or assault, occurring in the workplace.1 Within acute hospital settings, reports of verbal, physical, sexual, psychological, and emotional violence are increasingly reported, with the outcomes affecting workers physically and psychosocially.2 Exposure to and subsequent trauma from such incidents can affect individuals in numerous ways, such as reduced work performance; increased cynicism; burnout; and feelings of isolation, depression, fear, negativity, and anxiety. Organizational outcomes of occupational violence include increased absenteeism, high staff turnover, and poor recruitment and retention.2,3 Given the risks to staff and organizational productivity, many health care institutions are turning their attention toward implementation of strategies to equip staff with the skills and required knowledge to assess the risk of occupational violence and, where appropriate, de-escalate the situation to ensure their safety. This issue of JBI Evidence Synthesis includes our systematic review synthesizing the available evidence on the impact of educational programs and interventions for health care staff to prevent and manage aggressive behaviors in acute hospitals.4

Education programs aim to prepare health care workers to recognize and respond appropriately to potentially violent situations. However, due to low-level study designs and inconsistent reporting across the studies included in our review, certainty regarding the most effective education intervention to prevent and manage aggressive behaviors is unclear.4 Furthermore, self-reported outcome measures, such as levels of confidence, attitudes, or knowledge, may not be indicative of a person's ability to diffuse or manage violent situations. Some authors suggest that programs focusing on skill mastery may be more effective for de-escalation strategies5; however, appropriate and consistent measures are needed to ascertain the most effective modality and intensity of educational interventions for preventing violence. Nevertheless, our systematic review provides valuable insights into how educators could strengthen the design of educational interventions related to the topic...

Language: en

Keywords

*Workplace Violence/prevention & control; Educational Status; Health Personnel; Humans