A recent workplace safety report by Seattle’s public radio station, KUOW-FM found that nurses’ aides are a primary victim of violence in emergency rooms with registered nurses coming in a close second.

In addition, healthcare workers in Washington State were found to be six times more likely to encounter workplace violence than the state average of all industries, with ER workers facing an even greater chance.  Funding cuts, under-staffing, and a higher incidence of severely mentally ill patients coming to ERs are seen to be the major contributors.

In the context of nurse job satisfaction, this is a compelling example of why most nurses choose work-life balance as their most important consideration.  The physical and emotional toll that the stress of violence imposes is a powerful accelerant to burnout.

Coupling enhanced workplace safety measures with a heightened focus on right staffing and adequate downtime for nurses is a good strategy to counter the risk of increased turnover due to burnout.