Leveraging Technology to Mitigate Workplace Violence
Anthony A Thomas1, Simmy King, Paul Quigley
1Author Affiliations: Division of Emergency Medical & Trauma Center, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC (Mr Thomas); Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC (Dr King); The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC (Dr King, Dr Schultz); Security, Parking & Transportation Services, Department of Facilities, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC (Mr Quigley); Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC (Mr Bannerman); and Division of Emergency Medicine and Trauma, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC (Dr Schultz).
Introduction:
Nurses working in psychiatry, the Emergency Department, and pediatrics report the highest rate of assaults per 100 full-time equivalents (FTEs). In pediatrics, several unique factors contribute to workplace violence (WPV), including mistrust from the caregiver towards the health care clinician, complex or complicated medical circumstances, difficulty or delay in diagnosis, or the patient's behavioral and/or mental health.
Initiative:
To address WPV, we implemented electronic aggression screening, weapons detection screening, and a personal duress system at a free-standing, academic pediatric hospital.
Outcomes:
Aggression screening data show that the majority (>80%) of patients screened for low to medium-risk aggression. Weapons detection screening has resulted in a 62.82% decrease in weapons detected. The personal duress system improved security response times by 51%.
Discussion:
Technological solutions can mitigate the risk of WPV, improve staff perception of safety culture, and lead to positive staffing changes.
Conclusion:
These outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of technological solutions to enhance workplace safety. However, these solutions are not a complete answer to WPV. The need for regulation and legislation protecting health care workers from WPV is urgent and pressing. Without such protection, health care workers will continue to be at risk of harm.
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