What is the goal of a violence prevention program in healthcare?

• A. To identify risk factors in specific work scenarios and develop strategies for reducing them
• B. To punish aggressors
• C. To eliminate all violence completely
• D. To increase patient wait times

Answer: (A)

The main idea is proactive risk reduction. A violence prevention program in healthcare focuses on identifying where and why violence tends to occur in specific work situations and then creating targeted strategies to decrease those risks. This approach looks at factors like patient populations, workflows, environmental design, staffing, and communication gaps that can trigger aggressive behavior. Once these risk factors are identified, the program implements measures such as de-escalation training, clear reporting and escalation protocols, adequate staffing to avoid overcrowding, environmental design changes for better visibility and safety, and access to security support. The aim is to minimize harm and protect both staff and patients, not to punish aggressors or to expect that violence can be eliminated entirely. Increasing wait times would undermine safety and is not a goal of prevention efforts.