Patient and Visitor Violence: What Do We Know? What Can We Do?

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Content available to general public in May 2013

OJIN:

Patient and Visitor Violence: What Do We Know? What Can We Do?

The five new articles in the January 31, 2013, OJIN topic emphasize recent evidence and action related to workplace violence.

Stressful Incidents of Physical Violence against Emergency Nurses

Workplace Violence Prevention Policies in Home Health and Hospice Care Agencies

Measurement and Monitoring of Healthcare Worker Aggression Exposure

A Framework for Translating Workplace Violence Intervention Research into Evidence-Based Programs

Workplace Violence in Healthcare: Strategies for Advocacy

[ktwlpn, LPN]

We've been discussing this alot lately and just recently had an inspection of our workplace ,they are evaluating our safety and the safery of the residents from outside threats.We are going to start having drills involving an armed intruder. I plan on using a particularly PITA co-worker as a human shield and I always carry my car keys in my pocket so I can make a fast getaway. But seriously-don't we all hope we will react appropriatly but can we really know what we'll do in a crisis? We can drill all we want but if the day ever comes that weare faced with a serious threat (a disgruntled family member with a gun,a bomb explosion, even a natural disaster) who knows who will run screaming from the area or stay and try to save lives? I'm just thankful that our current admin seems concerned

[mt3]

Love this ktwlpn, hehe

"I plan on using a particularly PITA co-worker as a human shield and I always carry my car keys in my pocket so I can make a fast getaway."

Seriously though...we don't allow visitors for anyone brought in by law enforcement. Psych visitors have to be searched. Lesson learned...soccer mom's do carry tasers and will use such tasers to breakout their loved ones. Thankfully she had a bad aim.

[SweetMelissaRN]

Love this ktwlpn, hehe

"I plan on using a particularly PITA co-worker as a human shield and I always carry my car keys in my pocket so I can make a fast getaway."

Seriously though...we don't allow visitors for anyone brought in by law enforcement. Psych visitors have to be searched. Lesson learned...soccer mom's do carry tasers and will use such tasers to breakout their loved ones. Thankfully she had a bad aim.

What is it with moms and weapons?? Same thing happened to one of my coworkers except she had excellent aim! Luckily our officer witnessed the event.. Hope she enjoys orange jumpsuits

[miasmom]

Lol. Sad. But dang, we but ours a $$$ for pts.and family. Catch a lot of heartache. We can train for a lot nursibg scebes. The unexpected can catch us of guard. So training is important but wr all have our own per SHIELD we would like to use.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

We have discussed this so many times. My place of employment decided the way to solve this was to cut back on security. They are barely there now, they have no weapons, and look like they are 14 years old. We recently had an incident, I was a witness to this. HR assured me not to worry because they go through strict training... LMAO! Yeah right!

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

Yeah, we have very poor security, too. Actually, the last time a patient got violent with me, I got suspended from my job. Nothing happened to the patient. They had to "punish" me because of how it "might look in the community." Never mind little ole me, those patient satisfaction scores are all that matter.