Professional Nurses Experience Violence in the Workplace
Professional Nurses
Experience Violence
In The Workplace
July 11, 2012
Ideally, the workplace should be free of violent threats or actions and staff should feel safe while at work. Workplace violence has been defined by the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) as an act of aggression directed towards persons at work or on duty and ranges from offensive or threatening language to homicide. Workplace violence has gained recognition as a distinct category of violent crime that requires specific responses from employees, law enforcement and the community.
Medical institutions are particularly vulnerable to violence because of the 24-hour accessibility to the public, the possible lack of adequately trained, armed or visible security and an overall stressful environment.
The National Crime Victimization Survey (1993-1999) found that the average annual rate for non fatal violent crime was 21.9% per 1000 workers for nurses compared with only 12.6% per 1000 workers for all occupations.
The environment of medical institutions and the inherent condition of the patient’s being cared for can fuel the emotional tension between staff, patients and visitors.
In the health care industry, it is difficult to get accurate incidence statistics because violence is often underreported. There are multiple reasons why an employee would fail to report a threatening or injurious action, directly affecting his or her personal safety and well being. Because medical services are perceived to be a public entitlement, nurses are often empathetic to the frustration and vulnerability of the patients and visitors and violence is frequently considered to be “just part of the job”.
ENA and other health care professional organizations and unions are advocating for federal standards and regulations that require health care institutions to practice
Experience Violence
In The Workplace
July 11, 2012
Ideally, the workplace should be free of violent threats or actions and staff should feel safe while at work. Workplace violence has been defined by the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) as an act of aggression directed towards persons at work or on duty and ranges from offensive or threatening language to homicide. Workplace violence has gained recognition as a distinct category of violent crime that requires specific responses from employees, law enforcement and the community.
Medical institutions are particularly vulnerable to violence because of the 24-hour accessibility to the public, the possible lack of adequately trained, armed or visible security and an overall stressful environment.
The National Crime Victimization Survey (1993-1999) found that the average annual rate for non fatal violent crime was 21.9% per 1000 workers for nurses compared with only 12.6% per 1000 workers for all occupations.
The environment of medical institutions and the inherent condition of the patient’s being cared for can fuel the emotional tension between staff, patients and visitors.
In the health care industry, it is difficult to get accurate incidence statistics because violence is often underreported. There are multiple reasons why an employee would fail to report a threatening or injurious action, directly affecting his or her personal safety and well being. Because medical services are perceived to be a public entitlement, nurses are often empathetic to the frustration and vulnerability of the patients and visitors and violence is frequently considered to be “just part of the job”.
ENA and other health care professional organizations and unions are advocating for federal standards and regulations that require health care institutions to practice