Healthcare workers face many scenarios that could potentially get violent. These scenarios range from a psych patient lashing out on them to an angry family member disrupting peace. In fact, violence against healthcare workers is more common than in any other industry. What’s more startling is that after many years of studying, researchers discovered that healthcare workers are not even reporting all of the violent incidences that take place. Why is this? Well, researchers have surveyed physicians and other healthcare workers in an effort to discover how to improve violence against healthcare workers. However, there seems to be no clear solution for how to fix it. Some argue that healthcare facilities should improve security. Others highlight tips for how providers can protect themselves. Some assume it’s an uncertainty of what constitutes as violence.
With that said, let’s explore some stats on violence against healthcare workers. We’ll also clarify exactly what we mean when we say “violence.” Most importantly, we’ll review what you, as a physician, can do to protect yourself.
Stats on Violence Against Healthcare Workers
First, we’ll take a look at the facts. An article published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2016 cited that:
- Between 2011 and 2013, 75 percent of all workplace assaults reported happened in healthcare settings.
- For emergency medical workers, 80 percent will experience violence at some point during their careers. In fact, 78 percent of emergency department physicians reported being the target of workplace violence in 2015.
- For those working psychiatry physician jobs, 40 percent reported a physical assault. The rate of workplace violence among psychiatric aides is 69 times higher than the national rate of workplace violence.
Data for violence in outpatient settings is limited, the article said. Also, there seems to be a lack of laws protecting healthcare workers from abuse.
What is Considered Violence?
So, what exactly is considered violence? There are obvious acts of violence against healthcare workers, like stabbings and shootings. Yet, violence can include physical assaults or even threats of assault. It can also include verbal threats, hostility, or harassment that causes psychological damage, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA. Violence can come from patients, visitors, intruders, and even coworkers, OSHA said.
Moves to Stop Violence Against Healthcare Workers
One idea for preventing violence against healthcare workers is to increase hospital security. This could include installing metal detectors or having hospital security guards carry guns. Guns sound extreme. However, an increasing number of hospital security guards are carrying guns, according to an article in Becker Hospital Review. In 2014, 52 percent of hospitals reported their security guards carried handguns. About 47 percent reported arming guards with Tasers, the article said. But guns on security guards are not as obvious to everyone. However, installing metal detectors in hospitals would draw attention. The supporting argument for putting metal detectors in hospitals is that it would prevent patients and visitors from being able to enter the facility with weapons. The downside to putting metal detectors in hospitals is that it would take away the sanctuary setting that hospitals aim to create.
Three Tips for Physicians on Preventing Workplace Violence
There are some things you can do to protect yourself from violence against healthcare workers. Here are three tips:
- Crisis Intervention. Are working with people who have a history of violence, mental illness, or who are under the influence of substance? If so, know how to provide crisis intervention. If someone is anxious or on edge, it’s important that you know how to calm them down. You should also know what your hospital’s emergency preparedness plan is. Therefore, learn what the proper protocol is for a violent situation.
- Pay Attention. Are you working alone? Is the hospital you work at in a high-crime area of the city? Are you understaffed and overcrowded? These are all risk factors that can lead to violence against healthcare workers. Be on high alert during these times.
- Don’t allow it. If someone is getting aggressive with you, don’t assume that you can handle the situation yourself. Call security right away. Security can stop an intense situation from escalating, even if they don’t physically have to do anything. If you tolerate verbal abuse or aggressive conversation from your patients, this can give the impression that the behavior is ok. Make sure that you’re clear with everyone that there must be calm communication and respect.
The reality is that many healthcare workers are under the impression that violence is just part of the job. However, this is not true. Workplace violence is never okay no matter what. What has your experience with workplace violence been? What are some precautions you take to protect yourself from violence against healthcare workers?
