Assessing workplace violence in healthcare workers: a cross-sectional study in Italy

BACKGROUND: Workplace violence (WPV) is a common phenomenon in the healthcare setting. This study aims to describe trends in the phenomenon and to collect staff opinions and experiences on physical and verbal WPV. METHODS: This survey was performed between September and November 2024 among workers of a teaching hospital in Southern Italy. RESULTS: Overall, 12.5% of workers suffered a physical and 43.2% a verbal attack throughout their career, with most of them reporting more than one episode of WPV. Those who worked night shifts and had longer working experience were significantly more likely to have suffered at least one physical attack throughout their career, while those who had received information from at least one source about the prevention of WPV were significantly less likely to have suffered at least one physical attack in the same time period. Workers who had longer working experience, worked in clerical compared to medical specialties and had more working hours were significantly more likely to have suffered at least one verbal attack throughout their career, whereas less educated workers, those with a university degree compared to those with post-graduate degree, and those who had received information from at least one source about prevention of WPV were significantly less likely to have suffered at least one verbal attack in the same time period. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study highlight the urgent need for systematic prevention and reporting programs supported by organizational commitment, continuous training, and interprofessional engagement. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.