• E-mail
• Print
• RSS

Violence in the workplace: How to to stay safe

Emergency Management Alert, April 10, 2007

One of the nasty realities of working in the ED is that you could be attacked by a patient. Full of people who are scared, hurt, anxious, or under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs, the ED is a place where you'll really need to use basic survival tips. Stephanie Thibeault, author of Stressed Out: About Nursing School, 2nd Edition, an HCPro, Inc. 2006 release, says being aware of the possibility of violence is your best defense. Her tips:

• Keep alert, use your head, and avoid volatile situations
• Defuse escalating situations. Try to see what your patients see and feel what they feel. Doing this will help you tailor your words and actions so as to appear less threatening or frightening to them. 
• Never wear your stethoscope around your neck when bending over patients, and never turn your back on someone who has been verbally abusive or who appears unstable
• If you are at all uncomfortable with a situation, get assistance right away-better safe than sorry.

For our long-haired readers, Terry Jo Gile, author of Complete Guide to Laboratory Safety, 2nd Edition, has a horror story just for you. It concerns the phlebotomist who was trapped by a patient by her (long, loose) hair and held down for 15 minutes while staff calmed the patient. Trapped with her head lower than her waist, the woman was close to fainting. Eventually she was freed but the staff was scared enough to become more proactive in enforcing personal hygiene policies.

Order both books through HCPro's Healthcare Marketplace at www.hcmarketplace.com 

• E-mail to a Colleague
• Print
• RSS
• Archive