Does an intervention to reduce workplace violence impact hospital worker perceptions of safety culture and work satisfaction?

Background and Objectives: Workplace violence is a pervasive and serious threat to hospital worker safety. A growing body of research suggests that hospital workers’ perceptions of workplace safety culture are associated with physical violence, verbal aggression, and violence-related injury at work. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether an intervention aimed at reducing workplace violence in hospitals was associated with improvements in healthcare workers’ perceptions of safety culture and work satisfaction.

Methods: The study was conducted in 42 hospital units at increased risk for violence within a large, multi-site hospital system in Michigan. The 42 units were stratified by type of care and randomized to an intervention (n=21 units) and control (n=21) group. The intervention was conducted in 2013 and was comprised of a worksite visit during which researchers provided each intervention unit supervisor with unit-level workplace violence data. Supervisors were asked to work with staff to develop an “Action Plan” for reducing violence. Both intervention and control group employees (n=1900) were asked to respond to surveys regarding their work satisfaction, and safety culture both pre and 7 months post intervention.

Results: Mixed model analyses found significant improvements in intervention group ratings over time for Management Support for Workplace Safety (p<.01), Job Satisfaction (p<.05), and considering violence a problem in their unit (p<.05), with no corresponding improvements in controls.

 

Conclusions: This randomized controlled intervention was associated with improvements in perceived workplace safety and job satisfaction among intervention site workers.