Preventing Workplace Violence in Health Care Settings Webinar

Between navigating complex patient care situations, heavy workloads, and a fast-paced work environment, health care workers should not have to deal with violence in the workplace.

The unfortunate reality, however, is that workplace violence in health care settings has seen an increase since the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, a 2022 survey by employee listening leader, Perceptyx, revealed that nine in ten health care workers reported experiencing or witnessing violence from a patient or a patient’s caregiver in a single month.

This increase in workplace violence has resulted in significant costs for organizations, including absenteeism, increased security expenses, poor employee satisfaction, and health care workers leaving the industry altogether. As these incidents of workplace violence in health care settings increase, the negative effects on providers’ well-being are becoming more severe. Alarmingly, 56% of providers report their own or their coworkers' mental health is worse now than it was during COVID-19​ and 24% of nurses report their mental health is dramatically worse now​.

These unfortunate statistics underscore the critical importance of addressing workplace violence in health care settings to protect the physical and mental safety of frontline workers. Ultimately, creating a safer workplace environment is essential for protecting both staff well-being and the quality of care provided to patients.

Preventing workplace violence in healthcare settings is no simple task, as not every violent incident can be prevented or precisely anticipated. Effective prevention requires a multifaceted approach, rooted in a strong culture of safety and supported by every member of the organization.

A culture of safety—where employees feel safe to report concerns, leadership prioritizes the wellbeing of its staff, and teamwork and collaboration are emphasized—plays a key role in reducing risks. By prioritizing safety and embedding it within every aspect of care, from administrative policies to daily team interactions, the likelihood of workplace violence is reduced and able to be dealt with more effectively.

Another strategy to prevent workplace violence in health care settings is to promote incident reporting, including anonymous reporting. By doing so, health care organizations can promote a culture of safety where employees feel heard and valued by management and their peers.

An effective culture of safety prohibits any attempts to prevent reporting or discriminate against those making good faith reports ensuring staff feel safe and empowered to report without fear of retaliation.

Our webinar is designed to help health care professionals learn strategies to prevent workplace violence. Featuring insights from Jessica Booth, Director of Risk Management & Medical Staff Coordinator at Permian Regional Medical Center, this session explores the realities of workplace violence in health care and provides actionable steps to protect staff. By watching our on-demand webinar, you will get an in-depth look at the state of workplace violence in health care settings, current trends, as well as new workplace violence mandates and what they mean for your organization.

Watch our webinar now and take the first step in preventing violence and creating a safer workplace environment.

Ready to learn more about how an incident management system can help your organization prevent workplace violence? Set up a call with our team to learn how our software can help you meet your goals.