Everyone in healthcare, government, and the private sector seem to agree that workplace violence prevention is a worthy endeavor and that robust programs are needed. The big question is, “Why hasn’t anything been done?”
The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing posted a relevant paper titled Barriers to Effective Implementation of Programs for the Prevention of Workplace Violence (WPV) in Hospitals. The authors’ focus on barriers in hospitals and healthcare applies to WPV prevention in government agencies and private sector entities as well.
Key issues that inhibit the implementation of effective WPV are as follows:
1. WPV incidents are underreported, which means data for identifying trends and problem areas are sparse. Further, mandatory incident reporting is not required in most states.
2. Only a small percentage of nursing curriculums include violence prevention and bullying education. A similar lack of training likely applies to government and business entities.
3. Nurse surveys revealed that bullying perpetrators were most likely nurse coworkers and physicians.
4. Managers and supervisors failed to take action after incidents were reported. Further, there was a lack of management accountability.
5. Money and profit driven management models negatively impacted WPV programs.
6. There are no clear definitions of what constitutes violence and bullying. Violence is illegal, but anti-bullying statues are not addressed in most states.
7. Law enforcement agencies are uncertain about how to deal with mentally ill patients or visitors.
Key Takeaway:
Mandatory violence and bullying reporting should underpin WPV programs. Managers must take action when WPV cases are reported, and be accountable for developing and maintaining a robust WPV program. In addition, violence and bullying must be clearly defined and aggressively addressed in a zero-tolerance manner; profit motives should not override protecting the workforce.
What are your thoughts?
