Citation

Blando JD, Ridenour ML, Hartley D. J. Healthc. Prot. Manage. 2020; 36(2): 76-87.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, International Association for Hospital Security and and Safety -- Rusting Publications)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

38881718

PMCID

PMC11177266

Abstract

Workplace violence in the healthcare industry is a serious problem (NIOSH 2017). The Healthcare and Social Assistance Sector (NAICS Code 62) had a rate of injury from workplace violence that was 5 times that of the overall private sector in 2018 (BLS, 2018). The overall Healthcare and Social Assistance Sector had a rate of workplace injury from violence with days away from work of 10.4 per 10,000 full time workers, hospitals had a rate of 12.8 (NAICS code 6220), and nursing care facilities (NAICS code 6231) had a rate of 14.9, compared to a rate of 2.1 for all industries combined (BLS, 2018). These injuries have a significant impact on the industry, especially those organizations facing staffing shortages. The large number of workers injured has a measurable impact on the healthcare sector, such as skilled nursing care facilities, because these facilities often have trouble retaining employees and reaching the required staffing levels needed to provide care (Blando, J. 2020). For example, BLS data on workplace violence in skilled nursing care facilities shows that in 2018 there were 1,790 cases of injury with days away from work for employees who were intentionally injured by another person (see TABLE R4. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by industry and selected events or exposures leading to injury or illness, private industry, 2018; accessed on 2/20/20 at: https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/cd_r4_2018.htm). Prior research has also demonstrated far reaching impacts on the healthcare industry beyond just staffing levels. Violence in healthcare impacts employee stress levels, productivity, patient satisfaction, and patient outcomes (Gates et al. 2011; Jackson et al. 2002; Roche et al. 2010). Astrom et al. (2004) and Josefsson et al. (2007) also demonstrated that nurses who experience aggression in the workplace showed less empathy to their patients, and medical staff who experience aggression show more apathy towards their patients. Employee perception of workplace violence and risk is important to fully understand the impacts on staff.

Language: en