Addressing violence in the dialysis unit

The tragic slaying of a Bakersfield, California dialysis unit administrator in October 1996 (see 12/96, NN&I) highlights the potential for violence in the dialysis facility. In this case, the administrator was shot, while on duty, by a terminated and disgruntled employee who then shot and killed herself. In Part I of this article we present some statistics on violence in the workplace and what the Occupational Health and Safety Administration has offered to help employers address the problem. In Part II, published next month in NN&I, we will address how to identify potential violent behavior and ways employers can help avoid it in the future.