Health Care & Hospitals
Occupational violence (OV) pose significant challenges for staff in healthcare and hospital environments. These incidents can have profound impacts on the physical and psychological well-being of healthcare workers, affecting their ability to provide quality care and potentially leading to burnout, absenteeism, and staff turnover.
The risk of violence extends to patients, employees, visitors, contractors, and service users alike. These incidents often arise due to the nature of healthcare work, which involves interacting with a diverse range of individuals in potentially stressful situations. Patients and their families may experience anxiety and worry, and some individuals may be predisposed to violent behaviour.
Healthcare workers face unique risks due to the nature of their work:
- Diverse Patient Population: Staff interact with individuals who may be under stress, in pain, or experiencing mental health issues, increasing the likelihood of aggressive behaviour.
- High-Stress Environment: Emergency departments and mental health units are particularly prone to volatile situations.
- Lack of understanding on what they are allowed to do legally to protect themselves in a critical incident.
- 24/7 Operations: Night shifts and working alone can increase vulnerability to OV incidents.
- Underreporting: Many healthcare workers consider OV as “part of the job,” leading to underreporting and inadequate addressing of the issue.
- Physical Environment: Some healthcare settings may lack proper security measures or safe spaces for staff.
It’s crucial to consider all employee groups that may be affected, including often-overlooked support staff such as cleaners, caterers, and temporary or agency workers. A comprehensive approach to safety should encompass all individuals within the healthcare environment.
How the ADP Framework can help:
- Risk Assessment & Awareness
- De-escalation Techniques
- Personal Safety and Self-Protection
- Trauma-Informed Approach
- Environmental Safety
- Legal and Ethical Considerations
- Physical Intervention Training including break aways and escapes and non punitive restraints.
Implementation Strategies
- Conduct regular refresher courses to maintain skills and knowledge.
- Use a mix of in-person training and eLearning delivery for comprehensive learning and opportunity for on-the-job reference.
- Tailor training to specific roles and departments within the healthcare setting.
- Regularly evaluate and update the training based on incident data and feedback.
By implementing a robust training framework that addresses these key areas, healthcare organisations can better equip their staff to prevent, manage, and recover from OVA incidents. This approach not only enhances staff safety and well-being but also contributes to a more secure and efficient healthcare environment for both workers and patients.