Workplace violence in trauma centers and emergency departments requires a thoughtful comprehensive innovative response

The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) Disaster Committee has brought a sharp focus to the issue of workplace violence in Trauma Centers and Emergency Departments. They invited 2100 surgeons to participate in a study on workplace violence. The response rate was 10.9% and 83% of the responders worked in an adult Level One Trauma Center. Of those responding, 63% reported awareness of assaults in their Centers, 42.5% had been personally assaulted and 7.5% suffered injuries. These are noteworthy and distressing numbers.1