Workplace violence (WPV) has been a serious issue, most notably in healthcare. Healthcare staff frequently experience violence, which is especially common in the emergency department (ED) [1], [2]. Workplace violence toward nurses is twice as higher as toward other medical staff. They suffered physical assaults 2.26 times more than other medical staff [3].

According to the Occupational Health Safety Network (OHSN) survey conducted in the United States in 2012–2015, ED violence was 19.3 % above the average annual violence growth rate of 23 % [3]. The occurrence rates in other countries such as Egypt and Jordan were 56–75.8 % [4], [5].

Workplace violence has been defined as “any act or threat of physical violence (beating, slapping, stabbing, shooting, pinching, pushing, smashing, throwing objects, preventing individuals from leaving the room, pulling, spitting, biting or scratching, striking, or kicking; including sexual assault), harassment (unwanted behavior that affects the dignity of an individual), intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the worksite with the intention of abusing or injuring the target. It ranges from threats and verbal abuse (swearing, shouting, rumors, threatening behavior, non-serious threats, or sexual intimidation) to physical assaults and even homicide that creates an explicit or implicit risk to the health, well-being, and safety of an individual, multiple individuals, or property.” [6].

Emergency registered nurses currently working in Jordan are not an exception to such a situation; like other ED registered nurses worldwide, they commonly experience violence at their workplace [5]. In Jordan, 95.3 % of the ED nurses experienced verbal abuse [7], and 53 % were physically attacked by a patient or family member [8].

A review of the literature revealed only nine studies that examined WPV in Jordanian emergency departments [5], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14]. These studies were quantitative (cross-sectional survey) and aimed to address the prevalence, risk factors, and causes of WPV in the ED. However, no prior phenomenological qualitative studies have explored emergency registered nurses’ lived experiences of violence in Jordan and Jordanian nurses experience a much higher rate of violence in the ED than other areas. This study attempts to add to the body of knowledge and provide an opportunity to use that information in the ongoing efforts to reduce workplace violence. Also, this information may be used to offer further recommendations for formulating relevant policies and procedures that lead to a safer work environment. Therefore, this study aims to explore and describe the lived experiences of registered nurses working in emergency departments in Jordan who have experienced WPV.