"This article was first published in the Fall 2022 issue of Critical Connections.

Workplace violence (WPV) is challenging the personal safety of employees and citizens in all aspects of daily life. According to the National Safety Council, assault is the fourth leading cause of workplace death. Headlines remind us of the reality of our risk throughout the community, a threat that is particularly prevalent in healthcare settings. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the incidence of violence toward healthcare workers (HCWs) has increased steadily for at least a decade and that HCWs and social service workers are five times more likely to experience WPV. WPV events have been shown to be underreported and can impact the quality of care and cause absenteeism, retention issues, and increased costs. This threat to public safety has led the Joint Commission to enact WPV standards as of January 1, 2022.

Critical Connections, the critical care industry's only magazine, provides information on cutting-edge topics in critical care useful to the entire multiprofessional team."