Workplace violence toward mental healthcare workers: A call for action

Workplace Violence (WPV) is defined as exerting intentional physical and psychological force and pressure on individuals to harm, threaten, or insult them in the workplace (1). Currently, WPV in the healthcare systems has become a major problem for the health and productivity of employees (2). The highest rates of WPV in healthcare systems have been reported in Emergency and Psychiatry wards (3). Studies have shown that one out of every five patients admitted to acute psychiatric wards acts violently towards the staff (4, 5). Moreover, most physical forms of WPV occur by patients in psychiatry wards; while in other medical wards verbal violence by those accompanying the patients is more prevalent (6).