8 Workplace Violence Prevention Strategies for Nurses

7. USE VIOLENCE RISK ASSESSMENT TOOLS

Healthcare organizations should have violence risk assessment tools that can be used to evaluate individuals for potential violence. These tools are a common frame of reference and understanding for healthcare providers and can minimize the likelihood of misinterpretation a person’s potential for violence.

NIOSH provides these three examples:

• Triage Tool: to assess a patient’s potential danger to others or to themselves
• Indicator for Violent Behavior: a list of five observable behaviors that indicate danger to others
• Danger Assessment Tool: to assess the risk to nurses and other personnel of an individual exhibiting signs of potentially violent behavior