Part of the job' violence in our workplace'

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Part of the job. violence in our workplace.

• By Seleem Choudhury

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The ENA states

• Health care organizations have a responsibility
  to provide a safe and secure environment for
  their employees and the public.
• Emergency nurses have the right to take
  appropriate measures to protect themselves and
  their patients from injury due to violent
  individuals.
• Emergency Nurses Association. Emergency Nurses
  Association position statement. Violence in the
  emergency care setting. Available at
  http//www.ena.org/about/position/PDFs/CFAC59534C2
  B4BFF8C23F1972A2E00FF.pdf.

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The 2006 ANA House of Delegates
That all nursing personnel have the right to
work in healthy work environments free of abusive
behavior such as bullying, hostility, lateral
abuse and violence, sexual harassment,
intimidation, abuse of authority and position and
reprisal for speaking out against Abuses.
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International Council of Nurses (ICN)

• ICN strongly condemns all forms of abuse and
  violence against nursing personnel, ranging from
  passive aggression to homicide and including
  sexual harassment. Such actions violate the
  nurses rights to personal dignity and integrity,
  and freedom from harm.

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What do we know

• Violence and aggression directed towards
  healthcare professionals is a significant and
  longstanding phenomenon. James 2005
• Healthcare workers are four times more likely to
  experience workplace violence than the general
  population Budd 1999
• The financial cost of workplace violence is 4.2
  billion dollars a year. Hutton 2006
• There is clearly a major difference between
  malicious, gratuitous violence inflicted against
  nursing staff and disorientated, uncoordinated,
  unintentional arm-waving by patients that has
  resulted in physical injury. Ferns 2006

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An Example
Frequency and percentage of incidents in
which each category of aggression or violence
occurred (from a total of 218 incidents)
Age distribution of patient assailants. Violence
and aggression in the emergency Department BMJ
2005
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What can we do

• Education and De-escalation
• zero-tolerance by nurses and senior hospital
  figures
• California and Pennsylvania, the law successfully
  expanded the penal code to double the penalties
  for assault against a physician or nurse engaged
  in rendering emergency medical care.
• Each state to have legislation in place to
  support this effort and to protect nurses in
  their jobs.

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Conclusion

• Physical and non physical violence against ED
  workers are common occurrences. Although it is
  not expected that violence will be eliminated in
  this high risk setting. Gates 2005
• Reduction through Education, legislation,
  environmental changes, policies and procedures.
• OSHA states that all facilities must show an
  effort to prevent violence if they have employees
  at risk.

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We can make a difference!

• ENA members are in a position to make a
  difference through their advocacy. Although we
  see an abundance of violent or potentially
  violent situations in emergency departments,
  violence occurs throughout the entire health care
  system. ENA member support of their state council
  efforts to move this important legislation will
  have the intended result of improving the work
  environment for all nurses (Donna Mason, 2007
  ENA president)

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What Next?