A Survey of Workplace Violence in a New Zealand Emergency Department—Is the Current Reporting System Working? A Short Report

Abstract

Objective: The ED workforce experiences high levels of workplace violence (WPV), but data is often poorly captured. This study aimed to review WPV incidents and rates of formal reporting. Methods: Prospective electronic QR survey of WPV incidents in ED. Results: Ninety respondents reported WPV incidents in ED, compared to 45 formal reports. Most WPV cases reported by nurses were from patients and were verbal in nature. Concerningly, almost 1/5 were considering leaving the ED after the WPV incident. Conclusion: WPV is a significant, ongoing, underreported issue in ED that harms staff well-being and threatens the retention of the future workforce.