# Facts on violence in health-care settings



## DT4EMS (Jan 19, 2009)

FACTS ON VIOLENCE IN HEALTH-CARE SETTINGS

Ninety percent of Emergency Department managers cite patient violence as the greatest threat to emergency personnel.

Seventy-three percent report being afraid of patients, and 25 percent took days off because of violence.

Health care workers are more likely to be attacked than prison guards or police officers.

SOURCES: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Emergency Nurses Association 

READ much more at the source:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/37788039.html


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## Noctis Lucis Caelum (Jan 19, 2009)

Whoa..that is trippy statistic :blink:


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## VentMedic (Jan 19, 2009)

Those inside the walls of the hospital must also deal with all those "ridiculous" or "unworthy BS" patients that have been agitated by EMS providers prior to being dropped off at the ED. Some fail to realize their actions may get someone else hurt later.


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## Shishkabob (Jan 19, 2009)

Not shocking considering just in a single clinical when I was still a student, I was kicked, hit, slapped, head butted, and bit. 


All in the name of learning. I learned something alright; kids hate needles!


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## firecoins (Jan 19, 2009)

Linuss said:


> Not shocking considering just in a single clinical when I was still a student, I was kicked, hit, slapped, head butted, and bit.
> 
> 
> All in the name of learning. I learned something alright; kids hate needles!



what the nurses did to you doesn't count.


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## Noctis Lucis Caelum (Jan 20, 2009)

firecoins said:


> what the nurses did to you doesn't count.



haahahah!! thats just bad
When i was in clinicals i had times where patients would kick, spit, slap, tried to punch.  At times i couldn't even hold my temper h34r:


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## DT4EMS (Jan 20, 2009)

Health care workers are more likely to be attacked than prison guards or police officers.


I thought that was pretty interesting.....................

So what has your agency done to prepare you for this?


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## Epi-do (Jan 20, 2009)

DT4EMS said:


> Health care workers are more likely to be attacked than prison guards or police officers.
> 
> 
> I thought that was pretty interesting.....................
> ...



Sadly, every agency I have ever worked for has done very little to nothing to prepare employees for these situations.  As a whole, while we preach scene safety, outside of the initial scene size-up we do/teach little else to ensure we continue to stay safe.  

Any scene we are at is fluid, dynamic, and we need to always keep that in mind.  In the blink of an eye, a seemingly "safe" scene can go horrible bad.  We need to remember it is important to remain aware of our surroundings the entire time we are at a scene/with a patient.  We also need to improve our training regarding scene safety and provide EMS as a whole with the tools to protect ourselves from dangerous situations.

It is utterly unacceptable that working in healthcare is more hazardous to your health than working in law enforcement.  Maybe it is time to take a page from their book and begin to train our people in how to diffuse emotionally charged situations.  Granted, as EMS it isn't our job to go running in with guns drawn, but at the same time we have all worked with that medic or EMT that has no tact and doesn't understand that it can be possible to simply talk your way through a situation alot of the time, if done properly.

There is so much that can be done to keep ourselves safe.  It's a shame we don't spend more time educating ourselves to do so.


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## Sapphyre (Jan 20, 2009)

DT4EMS said:


> Health care workers are more likely to be attacked than prison guards or police officers.
> 
> 
> I thought that was pretty interesting.....................
> ...




Zip, zilch, nada....  "Wait for PD"  Which works on KNOWN bad scenes.  Didn't work so well on the GSW I rolled up on, that was dispatched as man down.  PD wasn't even En Route until we (aka, fire) called them.


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## DT4EMS (Jan 20, 2009)

Sapphyre said:


> Zip, zilch, nada....  "Wait for PD"  Which works on KNOWN bad scenes.  Didn't work so well on the GSW I rolled up on, that was dispatched as man down.  PD wasn't even En Route until we (aka, fire) called them.




So........ if you get gloves,gown and masks to protect from infectious diseases......... nice reflective vests for traffic and get "proper lifting training" techniques for your back ( all of which have less injuries than assaults).......................

Don't you think your agency is liable? It is failure to train...............

Once a couple of agencies get sued.......... after wrongful termination.......... pain/suffering etc., they will take trianing EMS serious.

Folks.... not every sitation involving force against you can be solved by using force in return...............

Pre-Arrival prep, Scene safety/situation awareness AND physical skills ARE required training for EMS.

IF you get fired for defending yourself in an ambulance........... call your attorney......... then have your attorney call me!


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## vquintessence (Jan 20, 2009)

Sapphyre said:


> Zip, zilch, nada....  "Wait for PD"  Which works on KNOWN bad scenes.  Didn't work so well on the GSW I rolled up on, that was dispatched as man down.  PD wasn't even En Route until we (aka, fire) called them.



That sucks!  But that's largely crap dispatching, unless it was in a good neighborhood, outside in a high traffic area on a sunny day.  Hopefully you and partner weren't in danger.  Even busy systems over here like Lynn send police on vague man down calls.  Hell, an unknown laceration gets them on scene.  All because the notoriety of that crap city.



> Those inside the walls of the hospital must also deal with all those "ridiculous" or "unworthy BS" patients that have been agitated by EMS providers prior to being dropped off at the ED. Some fail to realize their actions may get someone else hurt later.



So true, can't deny EMS doesn't contribute.  In our defense the external atmosphere and circumstances can also be as much to blame for getting pts agitated.  Having flashing blue/red/yellow lights and 5+ people in uniform show up because of credible third party SI will get that pt pretty pissed.  Instead of debating on scene an hour+ and tying up a towns only dedicated truck, at times it's more prudent to have police section the guy and get the ball rolling when there is no progress being made.

Less than 1/4 of psych pts end up getting sectioned/coerced, and dramatically fewer get 4 point restraints, but the other percentage getting brought in by EMS often get overlooked.  We're not all bullys out to pick on "unworthy" psychs   Sometimes its all that can be done to get the pt in for evaluation.


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## Sapphyre (Jan 20, 2009)

vquintessence said:


> That sucks!  But that's largely crap dispatching, unless it was in a good neighborhood, outside in a high traffic area on a sunny day.  Hopefully you and partner weren't in danger.



It was at night, in an area known more for ETOH than violence....


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## jester_1269 (Jan 20, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> Those inside the walls of the hospital must also deal with all those "ridiculous" or "unworthy BS" patients that have been agitated by EMS providers prior to being dropped off at the ED. Some fail to realize their actions may get someone else hurt later.



Agreed. Not to mention security or PD agitating the patients.  Working both EMS and in the ED I can tell you its a rare week that I'm not assaulted in some form or fashion.  The scary part is that we're told not to defend ourselves in the ED and that it would cost us our jobs otherwise.  Good thing I work nights..... :wacko:


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## DT4EMS (Jan 21, 2009)

jester_1269 said:


> Agreed. Not to mention security or PD agitating the patients.  Working both EMS and in the ED I can tell you its a rare week that I'm not assaulted in some form or fashion.  The scary part is that we're told not to defend ourselves in the ED and that it would cost us our jobs otherwise.  Good thing I work nights..... :wacko:




If you were told that you could not defend yourself........... and you work in a place prone to violence......... and they (employer) failed to train you for that environment..............

Call an attorney and have that attorney call me. 

You do NOT give up your rights just because you work in the health care field. 

I would be very suspect of a place that has violence on a regular basis and nothing is being done about it. Either staff needs better training, there is under reporting to law enforcement or both.

Kip


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