Managing physical assault in a healthcare setting

Violence is escalating in society, and it is increasingly recognized that caregivers in the healthcare setting are at risk. Workers who have had appropriate self-defense training are attacked less often, and they incur less serious injuries when they are attacked. Healthcare workers may exert reasonable force in self-defense, although the standard response to possible violence should be to prevent it or to talk one's way out of it, if possible. In this article, the author describes some basic self-defense techniques that healthcare workers can use if necessary.