Q: How do I decrease workplace violence incidents in the hospital where I work?

A: In my experience working within a healthcare setting, the best way to decrease workplace violence incidents is to have a workplace violence plan that is specific to your facility. This document must also be re-evaluated on a regular basis and be updated accordingly.

Developing a workplace violence plan can be daunting, but it's critical to the health and safety of your employees. The key components to include in your plan are:

1. You should perform a risk assessment of the facility you work in. Ask yourself, "What are the significant safety hazards that exist?"
2. Utilize data collection tools to collect specific information on each incident to determine which solutions are necessary.
3. Consider implementing safety and/or security teams that can manage the information and report to the administration on a regular frequency (monthly).
4. Develop a user-friendly safety reporting process that all employees are required to fill out.
5. Implement and stick to a zero-tolerance policy that supports all employees and empowers them to press charges on any acts of violence.
6. Provide customer service training for all employees, as well as de-escalation training for those in high-impact areas. It's also best to consider situational awareness training for employees too.
7. Develop a controlled access plan for your facility and minimize the number of entrances for visitors and employees. This will allow you to better control who enters and exits your facility.
8. Provide regular, hands-on, scenario-based training for your employees to teach them how to best manage workplace violence.

If you have additional questions about how to implement a workplace violence plan, please feel free to email Carrie at carrie.kotecki@complianceonegroup.com.