In July 2023, the American Academy of Nursing (Academy) hosted a policy dialogue on “Protecting our Caregivers: Comprehensive Strategies for Eliminating Workplace Violence.” The Academy’s Psychiatric, Mental Health, and Substance Use Expert Panel, in collaboration with the Expert Panels on Trauma & Violence and Military & Veterans Health, convened this dialogue to discuss policy issues associated with workplace violence for nurses and other health care providers. This policy dialogue explored proposed legislation, shared best practices, and outlined future steps to improve the safety and well-being of nurses, health care professionals, and environments. Participants in this dialogue were able to hear from experts on how the profession can advance policies to protect providers. 

• Provider Education and Training 
  Health care providers should have mandatory training requirements. Educational training for health care providers should include trauma-informed care for both the patients and providers. Implementing and investing in education and training that prepares health care providers, systems, and organizations on how best to assess, manage, report, and design interventions for workplace violence prevention is critical.
• Federal Policy to Protect Our Healthcare Workers Is Vital
  Comprehensive federal legislation that would require the Department of Labor to address workplace violence in healthcare, social services, and other sectors is important for health care providers and should be consistent with other violations of OSHA regulations, which are essential for prevention. 
• Innovation and Collaboration Across the Health Care Continuum is Key
  Health care professionals have the opportunity to build connections across organizations, hospitals, and different practice areas to share best practices on what does and does not work well when preventing the risk of injury through violence in the health care workplace.
• Implementation of Effective Strategies to Create Violence-Free Environments
  Since many health care professionals experience escalated situations, there is a need for de-escalation training and crisis prevention. Requiring health care professionals to implement innovative models and training to address violence in the workplace leads to better outcomes and preparedness for staff. Health care organizations must invest in systemwide management training initiatives aimed at building safe work cultures and commit to implementing and evaluating interventions. 
• Access to Data to Support Health Care Providers
  Nurses must champion reporting models that track quality indicators, data monitoring systems, and the use of that data as a uniform response to violence. Electronic health records serve as a database to collect information for health care providers to access. While data privacy must be maintained, access to information that can alert health care providers about at-risk patients could reduce workplace violence.
  

Guest Panelists

• Lynda Enos, MS, BSN, RN, COHN-S, CPE, Ergonomist/Human Factors Specialist, HumanFit, LLC.
• Emily Champlin, JD, Senior Policy Advisor, American Nurses Association
• Representative Larry Bucshon, MD, U.S. House of Representatives, Indiana’s 8th Congressional District
• Scott Hutton, PhD, RN, MBA, FAAN, FACHE, Director of Operations, Workplace Violence Prevention Program, Veterans Health Administration Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
  
   

Planning Committee

• Chair: JoEllen Schimmels, PhD, DNP, PMHNP-BC, ANP-BC, CNE, FAAN
• Co-Chair: Eugenia Flores Millender, PhD, RN, PMH-APRN, CDE, FAAN
• Kathleen Delaney, PhD, PMH-NP, RN
• Daryl Sharp, PhD, RN, FAAN
• Linda Beeber, PhD, APRN-BC, FAAN
• Joanne Iennaco, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN
• Sandra Cadena, PhD, APRN, CNE, FAAN
• Sally Raphel, MS, APRN/PMH, FAAN
• Kathleen Brewer-Smyth, PhD, RN, MSN, CRRN, FAAN
• Michelle Patch, PhD, MSN, APRN-CNS, ACNS-BC, AFN-C, FAAN
• Robin Arends, DNP, CNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC. CNE. FAANP, FAAN
• Susan Blaakman, PhD, RN, APRN-BC, FNAP, FAAN
• Karan Kverno, PhD, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC, FAANP, FAAN

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