Violence Against Healthcare Workers
Healthcare Professionals, although working with injured and diseased patients, is the profession we would least expect violence to occur – but sadly, especially after the pandemic, it is all too common. Studies indicate that 44% of nurses have reported incidents of physical violence and 68% have reported experiences of verbal abuse during the pandemic (Workplace Health Safety).
It’s worse in some departments than others. The last place patients want to be is in the emergency room, but it is becoming an equally bad place for healthcare workers. 7 out of 10 emergency physicians believe that emergency department violence is increasing. 40% of nurses are being hit and kicked while trying to do their job – some even getting thrown and bit (ACEP, ENA).
The situation is worse than we thought, and more than just being unacceptable, it’s frightening. Of course, there is the ACEP and the ENA’s “No Silence on ED Violence” campaign, and further prevention guidelines have been instituted in January 2022, but there is still the lingering trauma from healthcare workers who have experienced it, and the fear of it happening again.
Forum on Responding to Patient and Visitor Bias and Misconduct
In response to this growing anxiety, Mayo Clinic has released the Forum on Responding to Patient and Visitor Bias and Misconduct that addresses the recent violence against healthcare workers and steps to take against the offenders, how to heal, and how to further prevent it.
You’ll learn from the Mayo Clinic Patient and Visitor Conduct program and other featured experts about Mayo’s journey and current processes to address patient and visitor behavior challenges and egregious misconduct.
Upon conclusion of this program, participants should be able to:
- Review the journey in developing a policy about patient and visitor bias and misconduct.
- Describe the incident reporting process.
- List the steps leading up to termination of care.
- Distinguish the components between a “dismissal” and a “termination of care.”
- Recognize the Experience Model of Communication (XMOC) and how this model is implemented into the Behavior Management Process.
- Demonstrate skills for responding to biased requests.
Mayo Clinic Discusses the Following:
Session 1: Patient and Visitor Conduct Policy
Sharonne N. Hayes, MD; Benjamin J. Houge, MS, give an overview of the patient and visitor misconduct policy at Mayo Clinic, how it was implemented, the reporting process, and lessons learned. Learning Objectives: Explain the journey in developing a policy about patient and visitor bias and misconduct; Describe the incident reporting process; Discuss lessons learned leading to updates in policy language.
Session 2: Behavior Management Process for Patients and Visitors who Misbehave
Benjamin J. Houge, MS; David M. Nestler, MD, discuss the process on dealing with patients and/or visitors when they misbehave. Learning Objectives: List the steps leading up to termination of care; Distinguish the components between a “dismissal” and a “termination of care"; Explain the unintended consequences for patients who come to the complex behavioral care unit after their care has been terminated.
Session 3: How to respond to Patient and Visitor Bias and Misconduct
Anjali Bhagra, MD; Sheila K. Stevens, MSW, give an overview of the Experience Model of Communication (XMOC). Learning Objectives: Discuss the Experience Model of Communication (XMOC) and how this model is implemented into the Behavior Management Process; Demonstrate skills for responding to biased requests; Apply XMOC strategies to case scenarios.
Session 4: Patient and Visitor Misconduct – Bringing it all Together
Benjamin J. Houge, MS; David M. Nestler, MD; Sheila K. Stevens, MSW, review in a Q and A format, case by case scenarios for misconduct by patients; how to recognize, resolve and proceed. Learning Objectives: List components of Mayo Clinic’s Computer-Based Training for incident reporting; Discuss if/when a breach of confidentiality occurs between the role of patient/employee; Provide answers to participants' questions.
Check Out Our Other Content on Patient Bias and Misconduct.