Addressing Workplace Violence: A Policy Analysis.

This article focuses on workplace violence (WPV) against health care workers, examining its prevalence, impacts, and policy responses. WPV includes verbal abuse, assault, harassment, and intimidation, leading to emotional and physical harm that affects worker safety, patient care quality, and organizational sustainability. The federal Safety from Violence for Health Care Employees (SAVE) Act is highlighted as a comprehensive legislative proposal aimed at mandating WPV prevention plans, training, and legal protections, supported by key stakeholders such as the American Nurses Association and American Hospital Association. While state-level policies in New Hampshire, Connecticut, and New York provide targeted measures, the SAVE Act offers a broader, federally consistent framework with funding and enforcement mechanisms. The article concludes that despite implementation challenges and costs, the SAVE Act holds promise for reducing WPV, improving health care worker safety, and enhancing patient outcomes through coordinated legislative and organizational efforts.