The High Cost of Overlooking Workplace Safety
Although implementing workplace violence prevention programs can be expensive, recognizing that these changes can be profitable—and maybe even less costly—can help overcome existing mindsets to find a plan that works.
New Workplace Violence Training Program Focuses on Healthcare Settings
Workplace violence is prevalent in the emergency department—78% of emergency physicians have reported being targets of workplace violence in the prior 12 months.
Half of Surgery Residents Report Harassment, Bullying
The survey of 7,409 residents in 262 residency training programs across the nation — more than 99% of general surgery residents in the United States — found the most common workplace mistreatment were sex discrimination (32%), verbal abuse/bullying (30%), racial discrimination (16.6%), and sexual harassment (10.3%).
Q&A: Dealing With Sexual Harassment in Healthcare
Kate Fenner, PhD, RN, is managing director of Compass Clinical Consulting, specializes in organizational optimization, performance improvement, and regulatory compliance. She spoke about how harassment allegations should be handled, preventive measures, and the need to take both seriously.
Leveraging Unconditional Positive Regard to Minimize Violence in the Healthcare Workplace
Healthcare institutions often respond to situations of violence by implementing new policies and rules, and most require some type of de-escalation training for their staff. A less frequently discussed method of reducing episodes of violence in high-stress situations is unconditional positive regard, a concept developed by psychologist Carl Rogers.
De-Escalation: Mitigating Violence in Healthcare
The report, titled Mitigating the Risk of Workplace Violence in Health Care Settings, breaks down stressors and risk factors that can trigger disruptive and sometimes violent behavior.
Survey: Majority of Americans Concerned About Healthcare Worker Burnout
In the ASHP survey, a quarter of Americans said they believe hospital pharmacists (26%) and retail pharmacists (25%) are often burned out. The AJHP study found that pharmacists say burnout is driven by increased workloads, periodic drug shortages, and demands from electronic health records, insurance, and regulatory requirements.
Joint Commission Issues De-escalation Guidebook for Healthcare Facilities and Workers
The January publication, titled Quick Safety 47: De-Escalation in Healthcare, acknowledges that violence in healthcare settings is on the rise, so frontline staff need to know de-escalation techniques and solutions to quell potential violence and aggression.
Patient Faces Arrest for Attack That Killed Louisiana Nurse
The 54-year-old patient, Jessie Guillory, was attacking another nurse in the hospital’s behavioral health unit this month when 56-year-old nurse Lynne Truxillo intervened. Guillory then allegedly turned to attack Truxillo, causing her to injure her right leg and strike her head on a desk.
Talk Down: Joint Commission on De-escalation
The Joint Commission (TJC) released a new report on January 28: Quick Safety 47: De-escalation in Healthcare. This report discusses better training to mitigate such situations. The accreditor writes that as violence against nurses, doctors, and healthcare staff becomes more prevalent, the need for mitigation is greater than ever. Violence and assault are perpetual risks for anyone working in healthcare, particularly nurses and nursing assistants.