Aim

The aim of this study was to compile, assess and synthesise empirical research on violence by social and healthcare clients or patients against staff and its connections to staff's well-being at work, implementation of work and activities of leaders related to it.

Background

Workplace violence against social and healthcare staff is a global and daily problem. One in three employees encounters violence from patients or clients and the risk of this is 16 times higher compared to other professions. None of the recent reviews on this topic were focused on the well-being at work, implementation of work or leaders' role in the cases of violence of clients or patients against the staff.

Design

An integrative review reported according to PRISMA Checklist. Methods

The search was conducted to CINAHL, PubMed, PsychINFO and Scopus databases resulting in 21 articles. The quality of the articles was evaluated, and the data were analysed narratively.

Results

The workplace violence committed by clients and patients was negatively connected to staff's psychological, emotional and physical well-being at work and to their work performance and commitment. The leaders found this form of workplace violence challenging and ethically conflicted and felt that they were left alone without training and support. The employees expressed disappointment with their leaders' activities and suggested many measures to make environment safer to staff and patients.

Conclusions

In future, intervention studies are needed for prevention of workplace violence by patients and clients against staff and for supporting the well-being at work of staff in relation to violent incidents.

Relevance to clinical practice

Workplaces should introduce uniform protocols for reporting, preventing and processing workplace violence committed by clients and patients. An open dialogue with leaders and co-workers of the cases is of high importance. Leaders and staff need training that ensure patient and work safety.

What does this paper contribute to the wider global clinical community?

The study provides an evidence-based overall picture to the workplace violence committed by clients and patients against social and health care staff and helps to identify a global, daily but still in silent kept problem. The results reveal many connections of the workplace violence committed by clients and patients to staff's well-being at work, work performance and commitment and underlines several developmental needs in leaders' activities to promote safe environment for staff and patients. The commitment to the systematic reporting of the workplace violence from clients and patients against social and health care staff is the primary act in proceeding into the development of uniform protocols and support at workplaces.