Improving Policy and Legislation Related to Healthcare Workplace Violence

Our group conducted the first known New Hampshire survey on healthcare staff experience of workplace violence. Study questions focused on experiences of workplace violence, incident reporting mechanisms, and the availability and benefit of workplace violence training programs. Results were consistent with recently published literature: violence against healthcare workers remains a serious public health problem that is under-reported, understudied, “tolerated and largely ignored.” We will discuss the aspects of policy and legislative responses to workplace violence that have been insufficient to address this problem. We also will present some strategies that, if implemented, could lead to improved policy and legislation that may be more proactive in reducing such violence.