Introduction Psychiatric visiting nurses (PVNs) play a crucial role by providing medical services for community-living individuals with mental disorders in Japan. However, little is known about violence towards PVNs. Aim This cross-sectional study investigated violence during visits and the resulting psychological effects for PVNs. Methods PVNs were assessed using a violence exposure questionnaire and the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R-J); a measure of posttraumatic distress. Result Thirty-eight (41%) of 94 participants had experienced violence during the previous 12months and 49 (53%) over their entire career. The most frequent violence was verbal abuse. Career length as a PVN and number of visits per month were significantly positively associated with verbal abuse during the previous 12months. The IES-R-J scores indicated 28 of the 34 participants who completed the questionnaire exhibited psychological distress for the most traumatic violence during their career and two had a potentially high risk of posttraumatic stress disorder. Discussion and Implications Policies and strategies aimed at reducing violence in PVN settings should be developed according to characteristics of the violence, as well as the characteristics and work situation of PVNs. Furthermore, the provision of support and a safe workplace environment would be important for PVNs with residual psychological distress.