This study supports efforts aimed at improving teamwork-related factors as they are associated with a decrease in violence against nurses.

To prevent premature leaving, it is important to expand nurses' expertise, to improve working processes through collaboration and multidisciplinary teamwork, and to develop team training approaches and ward design facilitating teamwork.

In several (but not all) European countries, shift handovers may be a frequent cause for nurses' irritation. The underlying causes appear to be of an organizational nature. The findings have implications for solutions. Further debate and research should clarify the different purposes of shift handovers and relate them to handover style and to the quality of patient care.