New and revised workplace violence prevention requirements for three accreditation programs

Effective July 1, 2025, new and revised workplace violence prevention requirements will apply to all Joint Commission-accredited assisted living communities, nursing care centers, and office-based surgery practices. These requirements are intended to address the safety concerns that affect patients, staff, and visitors. They also align with similar updates for behavioral health care and human services organizations, critical access hospitals, home care organizations, and hospitals.

Workplace violence poses a significant occupational hazard for healthcare workers. However, the prevalence may be underestimated due to underreporting, as incidents are often perceived as minor. The new and revised requirements provide a framework to guide organizations in developing effective workplace violence prevention strategies. The requirements address the following:

• Defining workplace violence, including a formal definition added to the Glossary
• Developing worksite analysis processes
• Outlining leadership oversight
• Developing policies and procedures to prevent workplace violence
• Reporting systems, data collection, and analysis
• Implementing post-incident strategies
• Providing training and education to decrease workplace violence

See the new and revised workplace violence prevention Prepublication Standards