The relationship between workplace violence, job satisfaction and turnover intention in emergency nurses

•Emergency nurses are at high risk of workplace violence, especially verbal attack.•Workplace violence had significant effect on turnover intention and job satisfaction.•Job satisfaction played the mediator role between WPV and turnover intention. Emergency department personnel are exposed to high risk of workplace violence (WPV) and nurses are the main victims. Few researchers have investigated the effects of WPV on job satisfaction and turnover intention among nurses. To describe WPV, job satisfaction and turnover intention of emergency nurses and clarify the relationship between them. A cross-sectional study was used to collect data on WPV, job satisfaction and turnover intention among 385 nurses working in emergency department in 13 general hospitals in Beijing. Structural equation modeling was used to test the relationship between them. Among them, 89.9% had experienced WPV in the previous year. WPV had short-term and long-term impacts on over 80% of them. The score of job satisfaction and turnover intention was 2.48 ± 0.49, 2.75 ± 0.58 respectively. WPV had significant direct effect on turnover intention (β = 0.105) and job satisfaction (β = −0.161). Job satisfaction had a significant negative effect on turnover intention (β = −0.604) and it mediated the relationship between WPV and turnover intention. Emergency nurses in China are at great risk of WPV. Their job satisfaction is low and turnover intention is high. Job satisfaction plays the mediator role between WPV and turnover intention among emergency nurses.