Employee Safety

With the recent events in Boston, we all think of our safety and the safety of our loved ones. Another important topic is the safety of hospital employees. What is the risk of violence against hospital employees? This single-site survey found the risk of physical violence against a nurse or LPN was 13 (per 100 person years), but the risk of non-physical events was 39 (per 100 person years), the latter of which had higher consequences for the practitioner (such as requiring treatment or persistent problems after the event). The highest risk areas were those working in an ICU, ED, or psychiatric unit. Although these are the higher risk units, heightened vigilance, use of de-escalation techniques, and reliance on hospital security should be utilized by all employees in all areas of the hospital.