Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association Releases Workplace Violence Report

The United Code of Conduct is part of a new Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association (MHA) report: “Workplace Violence at Massachusetts Healthcare Facilities: An Untenable Situation & A Call to Protect the Workforce,” which sheds light on the escalation of violent incidents in Massachusetts healthcare facilities and the extensive measures being taken to prevent them.  

The MHA Board of Trustees endorsed these United Code of Conduct Principles. They include measures to promote a safe and respectful environment, examples of what potential violations look like, proposed consequences for violations, and recommendations for maintaining the principles long-term. The effort is a part of MHA’s larger workforce initiative to support and grow the commonwealth’s base of talented healthcare professionals.  

Over the past three years, MHA has conducted a monthly survey of Massachusetts hospitals to track the frequency, location, and types of violence committed on their campuses. The 56 responding acute and post-acute hospitals across the commonwealth provided data revealing that every 38 minutes in a Massachusetts healthcare facility there is a case of physical assault, verbal abuse, or threats made against someone – most often a clinician or staff member. Nurses report the most (38 percent) incidents of workplace violence, followed by security personnel (27 percent), and other clinical staff (19 percent).  

The report includes data on abusive incidents, as well as the solutions MHA members are championing to protect healthcare professionals. Violence prevention has been a long-standing priority for Massachusetts hospitals and health systems.  

MHA has again filed comprehensive violence prevention legislation at the State House as the new legislative session begins; the association also serves as a forum for leaders to share knowledge, establish best practices, and construct reforms around issues of worker safety. This work is led by the MHA’s Healthcare Safety and Violence Prevention Workgroup, which is composed of more than 70 experts in security, nursing, human resources, and more.