Violence in Healthcare – Psychiatry Contributions to Safety Initiatives-View Presentation

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Video Summary

The session focused on addressing workplace violence in healthcare, detailing a comprehensive approach to understanding and mitigating its impact. The speakers outlined current statistics emphasizing the high prevalence of violence against healthcare workers, particularly in emergency departments and psychiatric settings. Laura Safar began the discussion with definitions from the Joint Commission and elaborated on the different categories of workplace violence based on the perpetrator’s relationship with the institution. She highlighted that about 60% of healthcare workers have experienced workplace violence, with verbal violence accounting for 67% and physical violence for 20%. <br /><br />The session explored the psychological and operational toll of workplace violence, including increased burnout, job dissatisfaction, and ultimately, higher staff turnover. A major point was the widespread underreporting of incidents due to various factors such as perceived insignificance or retaliation fears.<br /><br />Speakers discussed prevention strategies including the implementation of the BROSET Violence Checklist for risk assessment in hospitals, showcased through a pilot study at Lahey Hospital. This tool has been shown to enhance staff confidence and support system in managing potentially violent situations effectively, although its actual impact on reducing violent incidents remains uncertain.<br /><br />Patrick Aquino wrapped up by focusing on post-violence care, discussing the importance of psychological support systems including peer support programs and adopting trauma-informed approaches. He emphasized the necessity of fostering a culture of safety and continuous improvement in healthcare settings to better support workers and reduce violence exposure. Audience engagement included queries about dealing with institutional resistance to studying the hospital environment's contribution to staff trauma, and how to manage and report violence without increasing bias.

Keywords

workplace violence

healthcare

emergency departments

psychiatric settings

Joint Commission

BROSET Violence Checklist

underreporting

psychological support

staff turnover

trauma-informed approaches

Lahey Hospital

peer support programs

institutional resistance