Workplace Violence in Imaging Departments.

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Occupational Health
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Workplace violence is a significant issue in healthcare settings.
• Radiologic technologists face unique risks due to patient and visitor interactions.
• Understanding the prevalence and types of violence is crucial for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the types and frequency of workplace violence against radiologic technologists.
• To identify specific imaging modalities and associated risks for workplace violence.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach using a REDCap survey.
• Survey distributed to 10,000 radiologic technologists across various imaging disciplines.
• 193 participants provided data on demographics, violence experiences, and reporting practices.

Main Results:

• Over 50% of technologists reported physical or verbal abuse from patients.
• Verbal intimidation was also common from visitors, coworkers, and other healthcare professionals.
• Name-calling by visitors was significantly associated with computed tomography, emergency department diagnostic imaging, and magnetic resonance imaging modalities (P < .001).

Conclusions:

• Workplace violence negatively impacts healthcare workers and patient care.
• Education on recognizing and managing workplace violence is essential for protecting imaging professionals.
• This study provides a basis for quality improvement initiatives to enhance safety for radiologic technologists.