Workplace Violence Defined - risk factors,strategies, prevention

2. • An action (verbal, written, or physical
aggression) which is intended to control
or cause, or is capable of causing
death or serious bodily injury to oneself
or others, or damage to property.
Workplace violence includes abusive
behavior toward authority or
co-workers, intimidating or harassing
behavior, and threats. The US Department of Labor

4. • Beatings
• Stabbings
• Suicides
• Shootings
• Rapes
• Near-suicides
• Psychological
traumas
• Threats or obscene
phone calls
• Intimidation
• Harassment of any
nature
• Being followed,
sworn or shouted at

5. TOWARDS COWORKERS , PATIENTS, VISITORS
 Verbal harassment
 abusive or offensive language
 shouting, throwing or pushing
objects, punching walls, and
slamming doors
 Verbal threats to inflict bodily
harm
 Bringing weapons into the
workplace
 Fascination with guns or other
weapons
 Attempting to cause physical
harm; striking, pushing, and
other aggressive physical acts
against another person
 Making false, malicious or
unfounded statements against
coworkers, which damage
their reputations or undermine
their authority
 Making delusional statements,
obsessive comments

6. • More than 5 million health care workers are exposed
to violence in their workplace setting.
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the
incidence of injury from violence to health care
workers is higher than that of other workers.
• Violence against health care workers takes a toll on
the worker, co-workers, patients, families & visitors
• Far reaching effects – insurance, lost productivity,
property damage, legal expenses, declining moral,
leave job, etc.
STATISTICS

7. TYP
E
DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE
I
Criminal
Intent
Perpetrator has no association
with the Center or employees
Person commits a robbery
II
Patient
Vendor
Visitor
Perpetrator is a
patient/vendor/visitor at the Center
Intoxicated patient
punches a doctor
III
Employee
Perpetrator is a current or former
employee of the Center
Recently fired employee
assaults former manager
IV
Personal
(Domestic
Violence)
Perpetrator has a personal
relationship with employee, none
with the Center
Former girlfriend, boyfriend,
spouse assaults ex at the
Center

8.  Prevalence of handguns
 Increased number of criminals, violent &
mentally ill in the healthcare settings without
f/u care
 Sick patients, stressed family members
 Long waits for service
 Availability of drugs and money
 Unrestricted movement into facilities
 Lack of training
 Lack of security in parking lots

9. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Security in parking lots
Poor lighting
Security Personnel, Security & Alarm Systems, cameras, etc.
INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
Patient population and family members
Waits for service
Availability of drugs and money
Unrestricted movement into facilities
Lack of employee training
Staffing
 Background checks
 Sufficient staffing

10. • Safety Risk Assessment
• Administration/Budget Commitment
• Training and Education
• Security System
• Employee participation
• Evaluation
• Record Keeping

11. • A.22 Workplace Environment
• A.47 Emergency Management
• A.56 Environment of Care: Organizational Plan
• Code of Conduct
• Employee Handbook
• Safety Risk Assessment
• Leadership/Budget Commitment
• Training, Drills and Education
• Security System
• Employee participation
• Evaluation
• Record Keeping

12. Environment of Care
EC 02.01.01 The organization manages safety and security
risks.
Emergency Management
EM 02.01.01 The organization has an Emergency
Management Plan.
Leadership
LD 03.01.01 Leaders create and maintain a culture of safety
and quality throughout the organization.
LD 04.04.05 The organization has an organizationwide,
integrated patient safety program.

13. OSHA requires employers to mitigate or prevent “recognizable
hazards” which include workplace violence by:
•Insuring employees are involved and educated on process
•Evaluating worksites to ensure safety requirements are met
•Hazard prevention through the use of “panic alarms” or metal
detectors
•Safety and Health Training is provided
•Compliance with the program must be documented
•OSHA fined a hospital $78,000 for non compliance involving
injured staff

14. 1. Healthy work environments promote positive patient
outcomes.
2. Recognition that violence can and does happen anywhere.
3. All aspects of violence (patient, visitors & staff) must be
addressed.
4. All staff is accountable for upholding foundational behavior
standards, regardless of position or discipline.
5. When a staff member identifies an issue that contributes to
violence in the workplace, he has an obligation to address
it.
6. Intention, commitment and collaboration of all staff at all
levels in upholding behavioral standards is needed to
create a culture shift.
MPLOYEE RESPONSIBILIT
AONE-ENA White Paper, April 2015. Accessed May 2015.http://www.aone.org/resources/PDFs/Mitigating_Violence_GP_final.pdf42© Copyright, The Joint Commission

15. TO MAKE THIS WORK:
Respectful communication, including active listening
Mutual respect demonstrated by all (i.e., staff, doctors,
patients, visitors, family, etc.
Honesty, trust and beneficence
Lateral violence/abuse is prohibited, regardless of role
or position of authority (i.e., the standard of behavior is
the same for doctors, nurses, staff and administration)
Personal accountability, meaning everyone in the
Center is responsible for reporting and responding to an
incidence of violence/abuse
MPLOYEE RESPONSIBILIT
AONE-ENA White Paper, April 2015. Accessed May 2015.http://www.aone.org/resources/PDFs/Mitigating_Violence_GP_final.pdf42© Copyright, The Joint Commission

16. TIPS FOR CREATING A SAFE WORKPLACE
Encourage and promote courteous interactions
Pay attention to behavioral warning signs
Consider objects that could be used as
weapons
Assess your environment
Trust your instincts
Stay up to date on policies & procedure protocol
Promote a team approach
MPLOYEE RESPONSIBILIT
Source: Crisis Prevention Institute, Inc.

17. Listen to this video describing the most common
reactions to disruptive behaviors