Nurses Assaulted More then The Police. Nurses on the job are facing down real physical danger as well as emotional, psychological and verbal abuse while delivering patient care. Who wants to come to work to deliver patient care only to fear for their safety? That kind of kind abuse is workplace violence and is a major contributor to burnout. I am not talking about the patient with dementia and psychiatric disorder who is abusive. I am talking about those who is awake, alert, orienting to person, place and time. Nurses are assaulted with greater frequency then Police Officers and Prison Guards. We need to get way past this old thinking that Nurses have to tolerate abuse. Nurse Abuse can come from patients, the families, coworkers and physicians.
WORKPLACE VIOLENCE IS UNACCEPTABLE
I remember working at an urban hospital emergency department in the early 90’s and getting spit on, threatened cursed at by patients who were AAOx3. I wasn’t cool with it than either. But at the time, the Nurse Manager said it comes with the job and you need to suck it up. No nurse or other healthcare employee should have to put up with any sort of emotional, psychological, physical or verbal abuse at work.
U.S. STATES PROHIBITING NURSE ASSAULT WITH PENALTIES
Nurses Assaulted More then The Police. Only those state with laws designating penalties for assaults that include “nurses” are reflected below:
Establish or increase penalties for assault of “nurses”: AL, AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IA, KS, KY, LA, MS, MO, NE, NV, NM, NY, NV, NC, OH, OK, OR, RI, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, and WV. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/advocacy/state/workplace-violence2/
WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE
The fact of the matter is that nurses and other health care professionals are no longer going to be turning the other cheek. The tide is turning, and if healthcare employers don’t take ownership in protecting their employees better. Its incumbent for employers to provide security officers, policies, procedures and training. For employers who do not comply, they are increasingly like to find themselves dragged right into a lawsuit for failure to protect their workers.
Violence Against Nurses: The New Epidemic
Violence Against Nurses CE Course: https://htrsd.org/product/violence-against-nurses-the-new-epidemic/
Violence in the Emergency Department
Violence in the Emergency Department CE Course: https://htrsd.org/product/violence-in-the-emergency-department/