According to a recent survey commissioned to better understand healthcare worker concerns, only 40% of respondents said that they thought their workplace was extremely or very well prepared to manage an active assailant scenario. The Healthcare Worker Safety Survey, which took place between December 2022 and January 2023, was conducted by a company that specializes in video security and access control. The study analyzed answers from 500 respondents working in the healthcare field, including doctors, nurses, technicians, and administrators across the United States.
Hospital and healthcare system employees said they generally felt safe going to work each day, with 68% stating they felt extremely or very safe while at work, and 89% saying that they trusted their workplaces to keep them safe in the event of an emergency. Of the nurse respondents, 81% were concerned about patients becoming violent, and 59% of them reported a dangerous event at their workplace.
Almost half of all respondents (46%) said that a violent incident had occurred in their hospital/healthcare system over the past year. Some of the biggest safety concerns healthcare workers listed include patients becoming violent (72%), the impacts of burnout/mental health (61%), and active assailants (42%).
Most respondents said they thought their workplaces were extremely or very well prepared to handle an incident like a fire (75%) or a severe weather/natural disaster emergency (64%). However, active assailants were among the top three safety concerns for those that work in hospitals or health systems. Only 40% of respondents said that they thought their workplace was extremely or very well prepared to manage an active assailant scenario.
Healthcare employees said they would feel safer if more interconnected communication platforms were used for emergency notification, training was prioritized, and safety guidance was centralized.
Compliance Perspective
Issue
Employers are obligated to comply with OSHA guidelines and standards, and to ensure that all healthcare staff work in a safe environment. Failure by a facility to follow OSHA guidelines and regulations may result in a financial penalty and other sanctions. Federal regulations on emergency preparedness include specific requirements for nursing homes’ emergency preparedness plans, such as requirements that facilities complete a facility-based and community-based, all-hazards risk assessment and develop strategies to address the risks identified. Emergency plans, training, exercises, and procedures require frequent review and updates to address modern-day safety realities, and to keep healthcare employees safe.
Discussion Points
- Review policies and procedures related to workplace violence and active shooter prevention and response. Ensure that the policies and procedures incorporate OSHA’s guidelines and standards that are designed to support a safe working environment. Review your emergency preparedness plan and update as necessary. Make sure the plan is available to staff so they can easily access the guidelines for the various components should an emergency occur.
- Train all staff on your policies and procedures related to workplace violence, active shooter, and emergency preparedness. Include this education in new hire orientation and annually to all staff. Repeat training should an incident occur. Ensure that all leadership staff are knowledgeable of OSHA’s guidelines and standards for a safe working environment. Conduct drills for the various disaster response plans to ensure staff competency with each. Document that these trainings and drills occurred, and file the signed documents in each employee’s education file.
- Periodically audit to ensure that staff are trained and knowledgeable of the OSHA guidance provided in your policies and procedures related to all categories of workplace violence, and that these protocols are being followed. Also audit staff to ensure that they are aware of their roles during an emergency per your emergency preparedness plan.
*This news alert has been prepared by Med-Net Concepts, LLC for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice.*
