Presenter:  Brian Uridge, MPA, CPP, CHPA, CTM

The healthcare profession has become the most dangerous environment with regard to workplace violence.The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recognizes violence as an occupational hazard. According to OSHA, 75% of workplace violence occurs in healthcare settings. However, that number may be low, with only 30% of nurses and 26% of physicians reporting workplace violence incidents. COVID has had a substantial impact on violence. The International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS) found hospital assaults hit an all-time high in 2020. From 2019 to 2020, the assault rate at U.S. hospitals increased by more than 23%. Violence reduction programs should be focused on developing a system wide approach that recognizes every health care system is a community, with every floor being a unique neighborhood, each with different dynamics. Building trust, transparency, and training along with implementing a systemwide strategy focused on reducing risk and anxiety through exceptional experience-based nontraditional contacts, staff training, professionalism, and critical incident response forms the basis from which a robust security program is built.

.5 CHPA credit