During the 1990s almost two-thirds of non-fatal workplace assaults occurred in hospitals, nursing homes, and residential care facilities, and in most cases involved patients assaulting nurses

• Convey an understanding of the apparent principal causes of violence in the healthcare workplace.

• Review the effects of workplace violence on victims.

• Review the laws and standards pertinent to violence in the workplace, and enumerate the responsibilities of management concerning the maintenance of a safe workplace.

• Outline the essential steps involved in instituting a violence-control program.

• Describe a number of actions the individual supervisor can take to reduce workplace violence.

• Provide guidance concerning the handling of certain violent or potentially violent incidents, such as breaking up fights and reacting to bomb threats.