“I’ve been bitten, kicked, punched, pushed, pinched, shoved, scratched, and spat upon. I have been bullied and called very ugly names. I’ve had my life, the life of my unborn child, and of my other family members threatened, requiring security escort to my car.”
This sobering quote from Lisa Tenney, RN, of the Maryland Emergency Nurses Association, reflects the experience of far too many nurses. Tenney’s quote is the first sentence of Sentinel Event Alert 59, a Joint Commission Bulletin that challenged hospital leaders to tackle this known but underreported problem and offering best practices to help them do so.
Workplace violence is an issue that disproportionately impacts the healthcare industry, as healthcare workers are four times more likely than workers in other industries to experience violence at work. Unfortunately, many nurses consider it a part of the job, even though these incidents endanger their physical and emotional safety. It’s up to healthcare leaders to encourage a culture of safety within their organizations and do everything in their power to protect staff from harm.
Modern Healthcare Custom Media, in partnership with AvaSure, gathered leading healthcare executives to discuss this important topic and explore how leading healthcare organizations are addressing the increasing challenge of abusive patients and visitors. Download a recap of our conversation to read about their experiences in addressing this issue and learn from their best practices.
