Assessing the pharmacy workforce's preparedness for a workplace violence event

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Administration
• Emergency Preparedness
• Pharmacy Practice

Background:

• Increasing focus on workplace violence in healthcare settings.
• Need for proactive risk assessment and emergency planning in health-system pharmacies.
• Importance of a multidisciplinary approach to workplace violence events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the planning, implementation, and findings of a "person with a weapon" exercise.
• To provide an example of health-system pharmacists collaborating with emergency management, security, and communications.
• To identify areas for improvement in emergency preparedness for workplace violence.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a "person with a weapon" exercise in an inpatient hospital pharmacy.
• Included tabletop and functional exercise components.
• Facilitated education sessions and debriefings with involved departments.

Main Results:

• Identified areas for improvement in pharmacy, communications, and security.
• Increased awareness of the "run, hide, fight" tactic.
• Enhanced staff awareness and education on workplace violence.
• Improved security measures, including technology upgrades.

Conclusions:

• The exercise demonstrated the pharmacy workforce's engagement in emergency preparedness and risk mitigation.
• Findings and improvements can be used by other health systems to enhance training and safety.
• The multidisciplinary approach is crucial for effective planning and response to workplace violence events.