As violence becomes more common, healthcare facilities should recognize that emergency departments are especially vulnerable, according to an article on the Fierce Healthcare website.
Of the more than 150 shootings at hospitals across the United States from 2000 to 2011, 30 percent of those occurred in the ED, FierceHealthcare has reported.
Not only does violence in the ED pose an obvious risk to patient safety, it represents a significant occupational hazard for healthcare workers, the article said.
Violence-associated workplace injuries have nearly doubled for nursing staff from 2012 to 2014, according to a recent Occupational Health Safety Network report.
Case Study: How NYU Langone Rebuilt for Resilience After Superstorm Sandy
Frederick Health Hospital Faces 5 Lawsuits Following Ransomware Attack
Arkansas Methodist Medical Center and Baptist Memorial Health Care to Merge
Ground Broken on Intermountain Saratoga Springs Multi-Specialty Clinic
Electrical Fire Tests Resilience of Massachusetts Hospital