Safe in the city

Workplace danger and violence are complex problems that affect nurses more often than is recognized. The home healthcare work environment is challenging enough without the additional risks associated with working out in the open or within a client's home. Every clinician working in home health today understands the demands of visits or extended care in the home and often reluctantly accepts the involved risk. The clinician working in the rural setting may experience similar challenges, but in large metropolitan cities, it has become increasingly frightening as crime, drug use, gangs, violence, homelessness, and transportation issues have made the clinician's job much tougher. It is important to renew awareness and remind clinicians to maintain constant vigilance for personal safety.