Hospital Safety: What's Happening?

Workplace Violence:

It's shocking how common violence against staff members in hospitals and other healthcare facilities are. Nurses come together and relate on many things, but experiencing violence from patients, patient's family members and sometimes their own coworkers should not be one of them. Nurses are commonly attacked by patients and hospital guests verbally and physically. Many of us has accepted that things such just comes with the job. Should this be something we're just taught to endure? Tolerating abuse is not something that comes with the job. These smaller altercations sometimes lead to bigger attacks.

Hospital Shootings

There has been countless hospital shootings over the years. My first year as a nurse, my then supervisor had just returned to the hospital from an extended leave after being the on shift during a hospital shooting a few years prior. That day she witness the death of two other staff members. In recent times a woman was shot in Florida by a fellow coworker.

How Do We Protect Healthcare Workers?

Healthcare facilities need to adopt a zero tolerance policy for threats made against employees by patients and especially hospital guests. Most states have legal protections put in place to protect public service workers from being attacked. It is considered a felony to assault a public service worker such as transportation workers, EMTs and paramedic. Unfortunately, the list does not include nurses, doctors and other healthcare workers. And that is something that needs change. In addition to legal protections more checks at hospital entrances. I know, metal detectors and security guards at every entrance are not aesthetically pleasing. However, safety of staff and patients should be the priority.

What are your thoughts nurse friends? What can be done to protect healthcare workers?

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