Throughout the US, health care workers are beginning to break from their silence about what has been called an ‘epidemic of violence’ against them. ‘Code Whites, ’ which are violent or potentially violent interactions with patients, happen up to 10 times each day. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workplace violence occurs in the health care industry up to five times more frequently than in any other industry in the US. The American College of Emergency Physicians conducted a poll in 2018, which revealed that 47% of emergency respondents have been subject to physical abuse, 60% reporting that the violent incident occurred in the past year. With these baffling statistics, it should not come as a surprise that US healthcare workers are demanding improved workplace safety measures and support.
Instances of Workplace Violence Are Increasing
The Government Accountability Office reported more than 730,000 assaults in the health care industry between 2009 and 2013 with nurses, psychiatric, home health, and personal care aides bearing the highest risk. Most of these violent incidents are a result of patient-inflicted assault and unfortunately, the number of instances each year are steadily increasing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that between the years 2006 and 2016, the number of workplace assaults reported each year have increased by 63%. It is even likely that this figure is not fully representative, due to the known under-reporting of injuries by healthcare staff.
The Risks that No One Talks About
Patients pose the largest threat to healthcare workers, as they can be unpredictable and violent. Furthermore, healthcare staff often find themselves alone with patients which can be extremely dangerous if the patient is behaving in a threatening way. Patient risks are especially troubling because they are difficult to manage and can be life-threatening if no one intervenes. Nurses in particular are so frequently exposed to physical and verbal abuse that it has become a normal part of their job, in many cases. This is because they are at the “front line of violence” and dealing firsthand with patients who are victim of emergency accidents and mental health issues. Nurses work in extremely “emotionally-charged” settings such as the homes of clients, the emergency department, and intensive care units. Patients could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, be in extreme distress or frustration, have a history of violent tendencies, or be delirious or confused. All these states can lead to unpredictable and potentially dangerous outcomes.
The Impact of Violence
The reach of violence in the workplace stretches far beyond the walls of the hospital. Psychological trauma is a very common consequence of repeated verbal abuse, as well as dramatic surges in stress levels which can negatively impact sleep cycles, home life, and potentially lead to depression. Understandably so, instances of violence also impact how nurses interact with patients, causing them to feel decreased levels of empathy which reduces quality of care. Physical violence against health care workers can also have devastating impacts. Healthcare workers have reported being punched, stabbed, spit on, and threatened.
Key Contributors to Violence in the Workplace
In addition to workplace violence being an ‘accepted’ part of the job, there are several other factors that contribute to violence against healthcare workers. Inadequate staffing is a large aspect that feeds into long wait-times that can infuriate patients. Rapid technological advancements have also created unrealistic patient expectations regarding a hospital’s ability to meet public demand. The isolated nature of hospitals creates an environment where healthcare workers may find themselves alone often and poor security measures are not a reliable form of protection. Deficient training regimes that lack information on safety protocols and best practices deprive healthcare workers of the mental tools they need to react appropriately in an emergency. Inadequate support systems for remote healthcare workers put these employees at incredibly high risk. Lastly, gross under-reporting of incidents that occur undermines the issue at hand and reduces the spread of public knowledge concerning how at-risk healthcare workers truly are.
Here’s What We Have So Far
The nurses’ labor union in California is demanding heightened authority for the OSHA to improve hospital safety monitoring. Furthermore, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act was recently introduced by Congress. The Act is meant to hold companies more accountable for the safety of their people. It says that hospitals must implement adequate procedures to prevent workplace violence, and will face fines for failure to report incidents to the OSHA. Although things are moving in the right direction for the safety of US health care workers, there is ample room for improvement.
Here’s What We Can Do
Identifying the hazards at hand is the first step to combating the compromised safety of healthcare workers. You can learn more about hazard identification here. It is essential that healthcare workers are equipped with a device that allows them to signal an emergency. Panic button laws have been rapidly spreading throughout the US. Although these laws primarily apply to the hospitality and hotel industry, healthcare institutions should follow suit. You can learn more about the recent spread of panic button laws here.
Implementing a worker safety monitoring system is another effective way of protecting your staff. If something is wrong, your organization needs to know right away. Check-in procedures are the only way to confirm a worker’s safety periodically throughout their shift. Scatterling’s check-in timers can be altered depending on the activity at hand. For example, if a nurse is traveling to the home of a new patient, this is a high-risk situation. The nurse can shorten the time interval between each required check-in until he or she is sure that the environment is secure. If a check-in is missed, monitors will be notified instantaneously and be able to act quickly. Learn more about how a lone worker system can benefit your employees here.
Protecting healthcare staff should be the top priority of any healthcare organization. These workers face unique and extreme risks these workers regularly. The alarming increase in violent assaults on healthcare staff calls for action. How is your company protecting its people?