Abstract
Aims
To map the evidence on post-incident strategies for workplace violence in global hospital settings, define current literature gaps and provide direction for future research.
Design
Scoping review guided by Joanna Briggs Institute methodology.
Methods
A narrative synthesis, framed by the Haddon Matrix, categorised post-violence strategies by focus on staff (victims), aggressors (vectors), or the physical/social environment.
Data Sources
Six databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Health Management Information Consortium) and Google Scholar were searched in January 2024.
Results
Twenty-seven articles were included. Post-violence strategies addressed: (1) staff support through debriefs and psychological, clinical and procedural assistance; (2) behaviour management, individualised plans, alerts and accountability measures for aggressors; and (3) system-level responses via incident investigations, feedback processes and integrated monitoring. These strategies were typically embedded within larger multicomponent workplace violence programmes, with limited disaggregation of their specific effects.
Conclusion
The evidence base for tertiary prevention of workplace violence remains sparse. Most articles in this review equated success with violence reduction, reflecting a traditional (Safety-I) focus on risk mitigation, with limited attention to broader outcomes such as staff perceptions of safety or job-related affect. This underscores the need for a clearer focus on the mechanisms by which such interventions are expected to create change, providing an opportunity to refine theory and practice.
Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care
The post-violence period offers a key juncture for mitigating incidents' ripple effects. As frontline staff are often the primary ‘recipients’ of interventions, future research and service improvement initiatives should focus more closely on outcomes relevant to staff experiences.
Impact
Incorporating a Safety-II perspective, which emphasises resilience and adaptive performance, could enable hospitals to strengthen ongoing operational capabilities in the aftermath of violence and help to redress the conditions that facilitate its recurrence.
Reporting Method
PRISMA-ScR.
Patient or Public Contribution
None.
To map the evidence on post-incident strategies for workplace violence in global hospital settings, define current literature gaps and provide direction for future research.
Design
Scoping review guided by Joanna Briggs Institute methodology.
Methods
A narrative synthesis, framed by the Haddon Matrix, categorised post-violence strategies by focus on staff (victims), aggressors (vectors), or the physical/social environment.
Data Sources
Six databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Health Management Information Consortium) and Google Scholar were searched in January 2024.
Results
Twenty-seven articles were included. Post-violence strategies addressed: (1) staff support through debriefs and psychological, clinical and procedural assistance; (2) behaviour management, individualised plans, alerts and accountability measures for aggressors; and (3) system-level responses via incident investigations, feedback processes and integrated monitoring. These strategies were typically embedded within larger multicomponent workplace violence programmes, with limited disaggregation of their specific effects.
Conclusion
The evidence base for tertiary prevention of workplace violence remains sparse. Most articles in this review equated success with violence reduction, reflecting a traditional (Safety-I) focus on risk mitigation, with limited attention to broader outcomes such as staff perceptions of safety or job-related affect. This underscores the need for a clearer focus on the mechanisms by which such interventions are expected to create change, providing an opportunity to refine theory and practice.
Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care
The post-violence period offers a key juncture for mitigating incidents' ripple effects. As frontline staff are often the primary ‘recipients’ of interventions, future research and service improvement initiatives should focus more closely on outcomes relevant to staff experiences.
Impact
Incorporating a Safety-II perspective, which emphasises resilience and adaptive performance, could enable hospitals to strengthen ongoing operational capabilities in the aftermath of violence and help to redress the conditions that facilitate its recurrence.
Reporting Method
PRISMA-ScR.
Patient or Public Contribution
None.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 18 |
| Journal | Journal of Advanced Nursing |
| Early online date | 24 Dec 2025 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 24 Dec 2025 |
