Healthcare

Healthcare Workers are five time more likely to experience workplace violence than employees in other industries - American College of Surgeons

Working in the healthcare industry can often present challenges that lead to unsafe environments, both for staff and patients. Healthcare workers are frequently exposed to a variety of risks, including physical violence, emotional stress, and hazardous conditions. Violence against healthcare workers is a growing concern, with incidents ranging from verbal abuse to physical assaults by patients or visitors. Additionally, long hours, high-stress situations, and understaffing can exacerbate the risk of accidents and burnout, further contributing to an unsafe working environment.

Crisis in the Hospital / De-Escalation

Crises are often unexpected events. A crisis event can be brought on by a patients, visitors or other family member, or intruder. Unfortunately, it is often our ss that are the ones in crisis and threatening violence to other students or school staff. The early recognition that a potential crisis is imminent can lead to effective action and prevent or at least reduce its impact. Every day teachers, classroom aides, and administrators are called upon to intervene in crises which may become dangerous if not de-escalated properly.

The Crisis In A healthcare facility course will teach you how to:

Be able to define a crisis, de-escalate and understand a person in crisis
Control your emotions during a crisis (staying calm)
Influence and communicate with a person in crisis
Diffuse and resolve a crisis situation effectively

When nurses, doctors, and staff are in immediate danger and the security does not have time to respond before the event becomes tragic, the staff members on the front line needs to have skills to assess, contain and diffuse the situation providing the opportunity for a safer outcome.

"Joe’s presentation was structured well, and the information was presented in bite-sized, easy-to-understand pieces. Joe is an engaging speaker and a good teacher, and he interfaced with our group easily, despite the session being over zoom. The most helpful piece of the training was a systematic, procedural presentation of how to de-escalate potentially dangerous individuals. It was nice to have Joe’s expertise and experience to fully understand what someone in crisis can and can’t do, what they’re thinking about, and how to help bring things to a safe ending. Knowing which threats to focus on in a camp setting is hard. Joe helped clarify the most important pieces when dealing with potentially dangerous people, and spoke to the specific instance of an angry or unstable person on site, whether for the first time or someone already part of the community."
Tommy Campbell

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Under Reporting of Incidents in the Healthcare Industry

A significant amount of physical and emotional abuse in the healthcare industry goes underreported, despite being a pervasive issue. Healthcare workers, particularly those in high-stress environments like emergency rooms, long-term care facilities, and psychiatric units, are frequently subjected to verbal threats, physical assaults, and emotional abuse from patients, their families, or even colleagues. However, many incidents go unreported due to a variety of factors, including fear of retaliation, a culture that normalizes aggressive behavior as “part of the job,” or a lack of support systems for reporting. Workers may also feel that reporting abuse is futile, as they may not see meaningful action taken in response to their complaints, or they might worry about being seen as weak or unable to handle their job.

The underreporting of abuse creates a cycle of unchecked violence, leading to burnout, emotional trauma, and even physical injuries. It also compromises the quality of patient care, as healthcare professionals may become disengaged or fearful in their roles. Addressing this issue requires fostering a culture where healthcare workers feel safe reporting abuse without stigma or fear of repercussions, as well as implementing stronger policies and support systems to ensure every incident is taken seriously and addressed promptly.