Hospital workers often face violence from patients, particularly in psychiatric units and emergency departments, and it is critical for these workers to consider the options they have when responding to this violence, a physician wrote in The Washington Post.
Four insights from the op-ed, written by Nathaniel Morris, MD, resident physician in psychiatry at the Stanford (Calif.) University School of Medicine:
1. Dozens of states have laws that criminalize violence against health professionals. Some states have implemented harsher penalties for such assaults in recent years, such as making it easier to prosecute these crimes as felonies.
"Legal frameworks for prosecution may be available, but choosing to press criminal charges against patients can be a difficult decision for health professionals," Dr. Morris said. "Criminal prosecution is just one option available to healthcare workers affected by violence from patients."
2. Clinicians can also take administrative actions after a violent incident, such as reporting the event to supervisors or flagging a patient's chart for past violence. Other legal solutions include restraining orders, which have less punishment for assaultive patients and may keep staff members safe, Dr. Morris said.
3. Prosecution may teach patients that violent behaviors have consequences, deterring future assaults. "It's important to note that violent patients may assault not only staff members, but also other patients; pressing criminal charges could protect vulnerable patients from such violence, as well," Dr. Morris wrote.
However, it is also important to consider whether violent patients deserve to be prosecuted for their behaviors since some may harm staff accidentally when disoriented or confused due to a medical illness, Dr. Morris said.
4. To help staff members who face violence from patients, hospitals can develop protocols to determine when prosecution may be appropriate after violent incidents and enable hospital administrators to pursue legal action on behalf of assaulted staff members.
"Nonetheless, tackling the root of the problem through violence prevention is key," Dr. Morris wrote. "If successful, violence prevention means clinicians do not have to endure these kinds of assaults in the workplace or face tough decisions over whether to press criminal charges against their patients."