Topic: Workplace Violence in Healthcare Settings
Learning Objectives:
Critically analyze research related to workplace violence in healthcare.
Evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and policies to reduce violence against healthcare workers.
The Scenario:
Healthcare workers face a significant risk of violence from patients, families, and visitors. This violence can take many forms, ranging from verbal abuse and threats to physical assault. This assignment will utilize the Cochrane Library, a trusted source of high-quality healthcare evidence, to explore research on this critical issue.
The Task:
Search Strategy: Access the Cochrane Library (https://www.cochranelibrary.com/Links to an external site.). Develop a focused search strategy using relevant MeSH terms (Medical Subject Headings) and keywords to identify systematic reviews addressing workplace violence in healthcare settings.
Here are some MeSH terms and keywords to get you started, but feel free to modify and expand your search:
MeSH: Workplace Violence, Violence, Healthcare Personnel, Nurses, Hospitals
Keywords: Assault, Aggression, Verbal Abuse, De-escalation Techniques, Workplace Safety Interventions
Review Selection: Apply inclusion and exclusion criteria to refine your search results. For example,
Include Systematic reviews published in the past 5 years, focusing on interventions to prevent violence against healthcare workers.
Exclude: Review articles not published in peer-reviewed journals, studies focusing on violence outside of healthcare settings.
Critical Appraisal: Select two relevant systematic reviews from the Cochrane Library. For each review, critically appraise the research methodology using tools like the AMSTAR 2 (https://www.bmj.com/content/358/bmj.j4008Links to an external site.). Focus on aspects like the quality of included studies, risk of bias assessment, and the strength of the evidence presented.
Synthesis and Recommendations: Write a concise report summarizing the findings of the two chosen reviews. Highlight the effectiveness of different interventions to prevent workplace violence in healthcare settings. Based on this evidence, propose strategies that nursing leaders can implement to create a safer work environment for nurses and other healthcare professionals.
Deliverables:
A search strategy used in the Cochrane Library.
A brief summary of the inclusion and exclusion criteria for selecting reviews.
A critical appraisal of each chosen systematic review using a chosen tool.
A report summarizing the main findings and recommendations for promoting workplace safety in healthcare.
