How common is Work Violence?

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Apr 29, 2004

how common?

per osha report below:

extent of the problem

the bureau of labor statistics (bls) reports that there were 69 homicides in the health services from 1996 to 2000.

although workplace homicides may attract more attention, the vast majority of workplace violence consists of non-fatal assaults. bls data shows that in 2000, 48 percent of all non-fatal injuries from occupational assaults and violent acts occurred in health care and social services.

most of these occurred in hospitals, nursing and personal care facilities, and residential care services. nurses, aides, orderlies and attendants suffered the most non-fatal assaults resulting in injury.

injury rates also reveal that health care and social service workers are at high risk of violent assault at work. bls rates measure the number of events per 10,000 full-time workers--in this

case, assaults resulting in injury. in 2000, health service workers overall had an incidence rate of 9.3 for injuries resulting from assaults and violent acts. the rate for social service workers was 15, and for nursing and personal care facility workers, 25. this compares to an overall private sector injury rate of 2.

the department of justice's (doj) national crime victimization survey for 1993 to 1999 lists average annual rates of non-fatal violent crime by occupation. the average annual rate for non-fatal violent crime for all occupations is 12.6 per 1,000 workers. the average annual rate for physicians is 16.2; for nurses, 21.9; for mental health professionals, 68.2; and for mental health custodial workers, 69.

previous allnurses threads on topic:

from the new york state nurses association report: february 2004

violence in the workplace: nysna survey results examined

https://allnurses.com/forums/showpost.php?p=664352&postcount=15

uk workplace violence

https://allnurses.com/forums/showpost.php?p=596740&postcount=3

violence in your er - what do you do???

nurse safety article

complaints vs safety of the nursing staff

articles and advice:

salon.com news | the war against nurses

from ana:

workplace violence: can you close the door on it?

http://www.nursingworld.org/dlwa/osh/wp5.htm

brochure: preventing workplace violence

[color=#990000]workplace safety series: workplace violence--nurses, hospitals take proactive security measures

www.nursezone.com/ stories/spotlightonnurses.asp?articleid=10132

aaohn survey: workplace violence education needed

nursing spectrum masthead date january 01, 2004

http://community.nursingspectrum.com/magazinearticles/article.cfm?aid=11173

osha's guidelines for preventing workplace violence for health care and social service workers

tattooednursie, LVN · Apr 29, 2004

hmmmm. I have had a black eye, and darn near lost some teeth by a dementia patient.

stbernardclub · Apr 29, 2004

well...thats a hot subject. Worked on a nutty med surg/oncology/telemetry(yes,a moneymaking 10 pt ratio kind of floor), and seen nurses hit, pinched and verbally assulted quite often. Then went on a P.C.C.U. floor,was kicked in the throat by some *** going to have a cardiac cath in the am,was just a plain nasty man, and decided he wanted to throw his weight around. I never seen it coming, or I would not have went in his room at the time. Was out of commision for about a month, never did go back to that floor.

I hear alot of nurses being attacked by patients personally i dont know any who have been attacked. I volunteer in the ER and i never seen anybody get physically assaulted. I wanna be a ER RN so should i expect to deal with violence in the workplace. Does it come with the territory.[/quote

zacarias, ASN, RN · Apr 29, 2004

I hear alot of nurses being attacked by patients personally i dont know any who have been attacked. I volunteer in the ER and i never seen anybody get physically assaulted. I wanna be a ER RN so should i expect to deal with violence in the workplace. Does it come with the territory.

Never was attacked until two weeks ago when a patient bit me before we gave her haldol.

zenman · Apr 29, 2004

You talking about staff or patients?

bargainhound, RN · Apr 29, 2004

violence can be from patients, visitors, or staff....it all happens....

leslie :-D · Apr 29, 2004

and it happens far too often. it's unfortunate that mgmt. does not acknowledge the severity of this very issue. years ago i was out of work for a month because a patient threw a table at me when i was walking away. 2 other nurses have had surgery because of related violent acts by pts. my back is permenently crippled (almost- i don't want to jinx it) because of trying to protect other pts, staff or myself. it goes with the territory.

bargainhound, RN · Apr 29, 2004

We are supposed to be "trained to protect ourselves"....the inservice classes they give us are supposed to cover the hospital, I guess.....it seems so hurtful to nursing staff in the long run.

ayndim · Apr 29, 2004

OOPs Sorry posted twice

ayndim · Apr 29, 2004

well...thats a hot subject. Worked on a nutty med surg/oncology/telemetry(yes,a moneymaking 10 pt ratio kind of floor), and seen nurses hit, pinched and verbally assulted quite often. Then went on a P.C.C.U. floor,was kicked in the throat by some *** going to have a cardiac cath in the am,was just a plain nasty man, and decided he wanted to throw his weight around. I never seen it coming, or I would not have went in his room at the time. Was out of commision for about a month, never did go back to that floor.
I hear alot of nurses being attacked by patients personally i dont know any who have been attacked. I volunteer in the ER and i never seen anybody get physically assaulted. I wanna be a ER RN so should i expect to deal with violence in the workplace. Does it come with the territory.[/quote
If I ever see (still a student) a staff member assualted by a pt or if I am ever I will be calling 911. Just because we are nurses, aides or techs does not mean we should be assualted. It is still illegal. And we have every right to call the police. If the pt is altered or ped it might be different. But even so everyone has the right to a safe workplace. I worked in management (not nursing mgmt) before I had kids. And we would not have tolerated this behavior from our clients. Why should nurses have to? After all these are grown people who should not leave their manners at the door. If they are going to act like a criminal they should be treated like one and be arrested.

Dr. Gonzo · Apr 29, 2004

It seems like management doesnt have the backs of nurses. Patients could grope or hit Nurses and it goes unpunished maybe thats why theirs a lack of nurses cause nobody really is their to protect them from lowlife patients.