workplace violence is an increasingly recognized safety issue in the healthcare community. workplace violence is generally defined as any act or threat of physical assault, harassment, intimidation, and other coercive behavior. it includes lateral violence, or bullying, between colleagues (eg, nurse/nurse, doctor/nurse). in 2010, the bureau of labor statistics data reported healthcare and social assistance workers were the victims of approximately 11,370 assaults by persons. while workplace violence against healthcare professionals can and does happen everywhere, the hospital emergency department is among the most vulnerable setting.