Two fellows from the Emergency Nurses Diverse Voices Research program bring new data and practical strategies that address workplace violence and emergency nurse well-being at the Experience Hall during Emergency Nursing 2026. Their research reflects the ENDVR Fellowship’s mission to develop emerging nurse researchers who translate front-line challenges into evidence-based solutions.
Swapna Peter, MSN, RN, CCRN, will present “An Evaluation of Patient-Level and Workplace Violence Toward Health Care Workers: Related Characteristics in an Academic Emergency Department,” a retrospective cohort analysis of more than 276,000 ED encounters across four years.
Swapna Peter, MSN, RN, CCRN
Recognizing Risk Factors
“We were seeing increasing ED volumes, boarding and operational complexity alongside persistent workplace violence events,” she explained. “I wanted to move beyond individual incidents and use our data to understand whether there were recognizable patterns that could inform prevention.”
Her findings highlight predictors of documented workplace violence incidents, including EMS arrival, homelessness, insurance factors and involuntary legal hold status. Peter emphasizes these predictors are “markers of encounter complexity, not labels of dangerousness.” They point to moments where earlier interdisciplinary support, trauma-informed care and proactive safety planning may be most effective.
Behavioral health conditions appeared more frequently in workplace violence encounters, but Peter cautions against misinterpretation.
“Behavioral health diagnoses should not be equated with violence,” she noted. “Our findings demonstrate associations, not causation.”
For ED leaders, Peter hopes the takeaway is clear: Workplace violence is not inevitable, and early recognition of risk can change the trajectory of an encounter.
Her practical recommendation for attendees is structured early-risk identification at ED arrival.
“When risk indicators are identified, they should trigger specific actions like an interdisciplinary huddle, early de-escalation, environmental safety measures, and appropriate behavioral health or security support,” Peter said.
Support Systems
Christopher John Fernandez, MN, RN, CEN
Christopher John Fernandez, MN, RN, CEN, brings a complementary perspective with “An Exploratory Survey Study of Workplace Stressors and Help-Seeking Intentions Among Emergency Nurses,” examining stressors, violence exposure and support among emergency nurses.
“Behind a nurse, there is baggage,” Fernandez said, referring to the stress, grief and cognitive load nurses carry into and out of each shift. “I wanted to understand how emergency nurses experience these pressures and how they seek help.”
His findings reveal violence exposure at levels that stand out from published context. In the past year, 86.8 percent reported threats of violence, and 75.8 percent reported physical violence. Cognitive load and emotional demands were also among the highest stressors.
Fernandez also found emergency nurses turn first to partners and friends for support, with formal mental health resources ranking lower. He believes this reflects both accessibility and culture.
“After a difficult shift, the most immediate person you see is your family or partner,” he said, noting barriers such as confidentiality, trust and whether employer-provided services truly meet nurses’ needs.
Swapna Peter (center) received support from her research mentors Tania Strout and Sue Barnason as she carried out her ENDVR research project.
His practice framework is simple. Protect by reducing violence exposure and unsafe workflows. Connect through peer support, check-ins and visible leadership. Refer early by making confidential mental health resources accessible beyond business hours.
“Nurses can appear very strong but carry internal issues,” he said. “A healthy nurse means healthy patients.”
Together, Peter and Fernandez offer complementary perspectives on workplace violence and nurse well-being, pairing large-scale operational data with front-line experience. Their work underscores a shared message: Workplace violence is not be accepted as part of the job, and supporting emergency nurses is inseparable from supporting patient safety.
Attendees will find practical tools, fresh insights and meaningful conversations waiting in the Experience Hall. These ENDVR fellows are ready to share what they’ve learned and invite emergency nurses into a larger conversation about safer, more supportive care environments.