The Rise of Violence in Healthcare Facilities

A frightening trend is emerging in US hospitals and clinics. Violence in healthcare facilities has increased in recent years, creating new challenges for medical professionals and healthcare organizations.

A report published by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reveals that reports of harassment made by healthcare professionals more than doubled between 2018 and 2022. The CDC also reports that healthcare workers experience 48% of all nonfatal injuries due to workplace violence, but they make up 10% of the US workforce.

Nurses, physicians, paramedics, and mental health professionals play a vital role in society. When the threat of violence impedes their ability to perform their jobs, the standard of care drops.

Healthcare organizations have a responsibility to protect employees and patients. This begins by understanding why violence occurs, its impact on staff, and the available safety solutions.

The Most Common Types of Violence in Healthcare Settings

Many people associate violence with assault resulting in physical injury. While this is certainly a risk in medical settings, healthcare professionals are also subjected to verbal abuse, threats, sexual harassment, and bullying.

Hospitals and emergency rooms are the most common settings for violence in the healthcare industry. The prevalence of workplace violence in hospitals is a direct result of the high-stress environment. Agitated patients, angry family members, staff shortages, and unauthorized visitors create an unpredictable atmosphere where incidents can escalate quickly. Escalation takes many forms:.

• Violence perpetrated by patients - When frustrated patients lash out, they usually target nurses and doctors. For example, a patient may not understand or agree with the care provided and attack a healthcare professional. A situation like this is particularly dangerous in vulnerable locations, such as private hospital rooms.
• Violence perpetrated by family members - Patients' family members are often under tremendous stress. Long wait times and an understaffed facility can turn an already tense situation into a violent one, causing a family member to resort to shouting, threats, and assault.
• Violence due to criminal intent - Most hospitals are open to the public, and many don't have the proper security measures in place. This is an open invitation for trespassing, robbery, or random acts of assault.
• Interpersonal violence - In some cases, violence erupts between two or more healthcare professionals, resulting from workplace disputes, bullying, or personal conflicts that carry into a professional setting.

Although these scenarios are more common in hospitals, they can also occur in behavioral health facilities and private physician offices. All healthcare professionals need to understand how violence begins and escalates.

How Violence Affects Healthcare Staff and Patients

It's hard to imagine how healthcare professionals continue to provide care with the threat of violence coming from so many directions. The reality is that many suffer silently, which is why healthcare organizations must take a proactive approach to safety.

Physical injury is the most immediate and threatening result of workplace violence. Assaults may require significant recovery time, lead to long-term disability, and cause severe emotional trauma. This threat forces many healthcare professionals to leave the industry.

Other forms of violence that don't result in physical injury also have disastrous effects on healthcare workers. The ongoing threat of violence leads to:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Paranoia
• Fatigue
• Absenteeism
• Career burnout

These side effects have an indirect impact on patients. Stressed healthcare professionals may compromise the quality of care they provide, resulting in a decline in health outcomes. In many instances, nurses and doctors avoid volatile patients, which leads to misdiagnosis, medication errors, or neglect.

Hospital patients are also at risk of becoming direct victims of workplace violence from assault perpetrated by other patients or unauthorized visitors. Patients may also get injured or killed during active shooter incidents.

Combating Violence With Healthcare Safety Solutions

Federal and state lawmakers have introduced legislation to reduce violence in healthcare facilities. Laws in California, New York, Oregon, Washington, and Illinois mandate safety plans, violence reporting, and staff training.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets guidelines for safety in healthcare. Unfortunately, these guidelines are voluntary.

Although there are no wide-sweeping laws in place, most medical organizations recognize the need for proactive solutions that support safety in healthcare facilities. Analyzing trends, pinpointing vulnerabilities, and developing response protocols reduce the threat of violence and limit the damage caused when incidents occur.

Creating an Effective Safety Plan

Healthcare facilities need to develop safety plans from the ground up to effectively reduce incidents of workplace violence and improve emergency response. A step-by-step approach is the best way to achieve this.

• Appointing a safety committee - Every healthcare facility needs a committee that creates and oversees the safety plan. Teams typically consist of highly experienced professionals from each department, as well as those who understand the challenges that healthcare workers face.
• Performing a safety audit - The safety committee starts by performing a comprehensive analysis of the facility's current safety protocols. This includes everything from safety equipment to emergency procedures. Audits help safety teams spot gaps and vulnerabilities.
• Developing a safety plan - Once the safety team completes the audit, they develop a written safety plan or overhaul an existing one. The plan outlines response protocols, defines reporting procedures, and sets safety guidelines that all employees must follow.
• Safety training - Every healthcare professional needs proper training to identify potential threats and respond effectively when violence occurs. De-escalation techniques help employees mitigate risks before they turn violent, instilling in them the confidence they need to perform their jobs without fear.

These steps won't eliminate the threat of violence altogether, but they put a facility one step closer to achieving a culture of safety that staff and patients deserve.

Safety Technology's Role in Workplace Violence Prevention

Digital tools and software are now commonplace in healthcare facilities. This technology goes far beyond surveillance systems. Recent innovations support tighter access control, visitor screening, and faster emergency response.

Panic alert systems are among the most crucial pieces of safety technology in hospitals. A wearable duress button allows employees to initiate an emergency alert at the first sign of violence. This tells hospital administrators, other employees, and security personnel the exact location of an incident. Healthcare organizations can also connect their system to the local authorities and first responders to streamline emergency responsiveness.

Wearable duress buttons sync with digital mapping technology. This tool creates a digital blueprint of the facility, allowing staff and first responders to see the exact location of an emergency, as well as nearby exits and safety equipment. Digital mapping is invaluable during active shooter incidents, medical emergencies, and natural disasters that compromise the safety of staff and patients. It also helps staff establish evacuation routes when developing a safety plan.

Another tool that is becoming increasingly common is visitor management technology. It lets healthcare professionals screen visitors and control which areas they can access. Visitors must check in by scanning their driver's license or ID. Once cleared to enter, they receive a badge granting them access only to designated areas. The badge also allows staff to locate visitors anywhere in the facility.

A healthcare organization's safety committee must determine the right technology for its facility. Once implemented, digital tools make it easier to analyze trends and modify the safety plan to mitigate the threat of workplace violence and improve emergency response times.