About
This free, interactive course is designed to help healthcare workers better understand the scope and nature of violence in the workplace. Upon successful completion of the course, healthcare professionals can earn continuing education units.
Course Information
Modules
- Definition, types, and prevalence
- Workplace violence consequences
- Risk factors for violence
- Prevention strategies for organizations
- Prevention strategies for nurses
- Post event response
Learning Objectives
- Identify institutional, environmental, and policy risk factors for workplace violence
- Recognize behavioral warning signs of violence in individuals
- Define communication skills used to prevent and manage workplace violence
- Examine appropriate resources/strategies to support injured healthcare professionals
- Recognize at least 3 key elements of a comprehensive workplace violence prevention program
- Identify effective team skills by sharing information effectively, listening and responding to feedback from others, and using simple communication
Target Audience
Anyone can take the course to learn about violence in healthcare workplace settings, but content is intended for healthcare professionals who want an introduction to workplace violence prevention strategies, including:
- Registered Nurses
- Certified Health Educators
- Advanced Practice Nurses
- Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses
- Other Health Educators
- Physicians Assistants
- Physicians
- Veterinarians
- Nursing Students
- Medical Students
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites for this course.
Technical Requirements
Computer hardware (desktop, laptop, tablet, mobile devices); internet connection.
Continuing Education
Training and Education: CDC Course Number: WB4525R
Instructions for obtaining continuing education (CE)
To receive continuing education (CE) for WB4525R-Workplace Violence Prevention for Nurses, please visit CDC TRAIN and search for the course in the Course Catalog using WB4525R. Follow the steps below by July 08, 2026.
1. Register for and complete the course.
2. Pass the post-assessment at 81%.
3. Complete the evaluation.
4. Visit Your Learning to access your certificates and transcript.
FEES: No fees are charged for CDC's CE activities.
Accreditation Statements
In support of improving patient care, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
CNE: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designates this activity for 3.0 nursing contact hours.
CEU: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is authorized by IACET to offer 0.3 CEU's for this program.
CECH: Sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is designed for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES®) and/or Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES®) to receive up to 3.0 total Category I continuing education contact hours. Maximum advanced level continuing education contact hours available are 3.0. Continuing Competency credits available are 3.0. CDC provider number 98614.
For Certified Public Health Professionals (CPH): The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a preapproved provider of Certified in Public Health (CPH) recertification credits and is authorized to offer 3.0 CPH recertification credits for this program.
Disclosure Statement
In compliance with continuing education requirements, all planners and presenters must disclose all financial relationships, in any amount, with ineligible companies during the previous 24 months as well as any use of unlabeled product(s) or products under investigational use.
CDC, our planners, and content experts wish to disclose they have no financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, reselling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.
Content will not include any discussion of the unlabeled use of a product or a product under investigational use.
CDC did not accept financial or in-kind support from ineligible companies for this continuing education activity.
Fees: No fees are charged for CDC's CE activities.
Contact Information
For support with registration, course assessments and posttests, transcripts, or printing continuing education certificates, please refer to the CDC TRAIN Tutorials. For further inquiries regarding CDC TRAIN, you can contact them through: Email: TRAIN@cdc.gov
Faculty and Other Contributors
Faculty Credentials
Cammie Chaumont Menendez, MS, MPH, PhDResearch Epidemiologist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Gordon Lee Gillespie, PhD, DNP, RN, CEN, CNE, CPEN, PHCNS-BC, FAEN, FAANProfessor, Associate Dean for Research, & Director Occupational Health Nursing Program, University of Cincinnati College of Nursing
Daniel Hartley, EdDEpidemiologist, Scientific Review Officer, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Kathleen McPhaul, PhD, MPH, RN, COHN-SAssociate Research Professor, University of Maryland School of Public Health
Marilyn Lou Ridenour, BSN, MBA, MPHScientific Review Officer, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Jonathan Rosen, MS CIH FAIHASafety & Health/ Industrial Hygiene Consultant
NIOSH would like to acknowledge our past contributors:
Barbara M. Costa, AB, MSJohn Craine, BA, MBA, MSDonna Gates, EdD, MSPH, MSN, BSNSusan Goodwin Gerberich, PhD, MSPH, BSMaryAnn Gruden, MSN, RN, FNP, COHN-S/CMLee Ann Hoff, PhD, MSN, BSNNancy Hughes, MS, RNMarilyn Lanza, DNSc, MS, BSMatthew London, MS Industrial HygieneCarol W. Runyan, MPH, PhD
Acknowledgements
- Eric Knutsen
- John Britton
Suggested citation
NIOSH [2013]. Workplace violence prevention for nurses. Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013-155.
ORIGINATION DATE: May 08, 2022
ENEWAL DATE: May 08, 2024
EXPIRATION DATE: July 08, 2026