Workplace Safety

As I sit here pondering our focus for this quarter, Workplace Safety, I am struck by how close to home it hits. We often see patients on their worst days and that can be brutal. I’ve been verbally assaulted by patients and their families. I’ve had moments where I had to leave a room because I feared someone was soon to react physically. I’ve had colleagues who were hit, bit, or kicked. I’ve had friends who patients threatened to stalk or come after once they left work. Just last week, we had a terrible incident in one of our Emergency Departments in which a staff member was attacked on site. Despite have security’s rapid response, damage had already been done.

It’s becoming more and more of a reality as events like this increase. I worry that we, as a country, are becoming too reactionary rather than preventative with this. The data is there. The concern is there. And it keeps on happening. Maybe it has not to you personally (yet), but I’m sure we all have at least one story of a colleague who has been a victim of this, whether it was verbal or physical assault.

As the trends show, we need more legislation to protect our workplaces. More adherence to checklists and safety standards. More support and protection from our employers. Has anyone had events occur that have changed physical structure or policy within the hospital?

How many have had training on de-escalation techniques, how to position oneself in a room, or even how to defend oneself on the job?

As we begin the last month of the quarter, I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts. Hopefully, the new 2024 Joint Commission requirements on Workplace Violence Prevention that Dr. Harry Severance has mentioned in prior posts (Joint Commission Standards) will encourage institutions to make this a priority moving forward.

ACEP is pushing hard at the congressional level for the SAVE Act, which provides protection and makes the assault to a healthcare worker a federal crime. ACEP President, Dr. Terry, said it well: “We can’t be the safety net without feeling safe ourselves,” Dr. Terry said. “This is not a one-off. This is a daily situation in emergency departments across the country.”

Check out the full article here: Congressional Briefing on ED Violence

If you’re looking for more information or how to get involved,

• No Silence for ED Violence is a National Program with tons of resources, advocacy ideas and data
• ACEP has a Workplace Safety Checklist you can bring to administration to see if your institution complies.

Sincerely,
Brielle Stanton Skotnicki, MD
ACEP Wellness Secretary