Workplace violence in Italian healthcare organizations: A multicenter survey on prevention measures and incident reporting

Introduction: Workplace violence in healthcare settings is a growing global concern, particularly for its detrimental effects on workers’ safety and the operational efficiency of healthcare organizations. This study aimed to assess the implementation of violence prevention measures and to analyze the incidence of violent incidents in Italian healthcare organizations. Methods: A multicenter, descriptive-analytical survey was conducted in 2022 across 47 healthcare organizations affiliated with FIASO. A 12-item questionnaire was developed and validated to assess the adoption of prevention measures, including risk assessment documents, corporate procedures, training, and reporting mechanisms. Additionally, data on violent incidents and sentinel events between 2019 and 2021 were collected and analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used to present the results. Results: A total of 79% of responses across the 12 items were affirmative, indicating a high degree of compliance with recommended preventive measures. Specifically, 95.7% of organizations had a corporate procedure for violence prevention, and 100% had reporting mechanisms in place. However, 22% of organizations had not drafted a risk assessment document for workplace violence. Regarding violent incidents, 1,419 were reported in 2019, 1,155 in 2020 (an 18.6% decrease), and 1,590 in 2021 (a 37.7% increase from 2020). Sentinel events followed a similar trend, with 59 in 2019, 48 in 2020, and 50 in 2021. Conclusions: While Italian healthcare organizations have made progress in implementing violence prevention measures, there remain critical gaps, particularly in risk assessment and legal support for victims. Policymakers should prioritize enforcing compliance and enhancing support services. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of prevention programs and the psychological impact of violence on healthcare workers.