Violent attacks against medical professionals have increased, and hospitals are focusing even more intently on keeping their workers safe. To that end, the American Medical Association recently shared three tips for preventing violence in hospitals.
Between 2011 and 2018, violent attacks against medical professionals rose by 67 percent. In addition, health professionals are five times more likely to experience workplace violence than workers in other industries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They are also 50 percent more likely to be harassed, bullied or hurt than other community members.
According to a Feb. 21 article on the AMA's website, three ways to reduce violence in hospitals are:
- Conduct more research to validate clinician concerns: Research is "really powerful for us to understand these issues … because it shows that there's credibility," Michael Tutty, PhD, group vice president of professional satisfaction and practice sustainability at the AMA, said in the article. "This isn't about physicians complaining. This is about creating the evidence base to validate concerns."
- Stand up for colleagues: "It's up to us to make sure that all our friends and colleagues and co-workers are working in as safe an environment as possible," David Welsh, MD, general surgeon in Batesville, Ind., said in the article. "We need to make sure that we stand up for our colleagues. We can make a difference."
- Find the solution that works for your hospital: "What works at one place may not work in another," Dr. Welsh said. "When we are working on solutions, we need to work with stakeholders because it's not just about us. It's about our nursing staff. It's about X-ray techs. It's our office staff."