Nursing Workplace Incidence of Violence

In today’s world violence can be expected anywhere at any time. This includes what was considered at one time a low risk area, the medical facility. Today the incidence of violence is increasing. There are two types of violence the first is lateral violence or aggression which is amongst hospital or medical personal. The other is external factors consisting of patients or visitors instituting violence or aggression among themselves or against healthcare workers. This is known as a code grey in my facility and all male staff not currently engaged in patient care are supposed to respond.

For this paper the discussion will be on lateral violence as this form of violence has been showing a rapid increase in incidences. As mentioned we have plans to deal with violence created by non-staff members. We however do not have a plan of action for violence or aggression between staff members other than to react after the fact. This would usually consist of suspension, warnings, nursing board notification, or even dismissal. What is needed is a plan to alleviate the increasing number of events from even coming to fruition.

Alleviation of this problem needs to include the executive administration, the organization as a whole along with the independent nursing units as they “must have a policy of zero tolerance toward violence, bullying, etc. There must also be a policy that protects nurse from retribution if they report violent or aggressive behavior” (Lateral Violence: Nurse Against Nurse 2011, p. 5). There also needs to be a place where employees can go to seek help to work on their anger, frustration, and stress levels such as an employee assistance program. “Important goals should be to involve the organization’s most senior management i...

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...that the pressures of work or life are getting the better of them. The facility should sponsor educational opportunities that teach how to recognize when situations show a possibility of turning violent and how to deal with those situations. Staff should also be held accountable for their actions and accept the repercussions as they are dealt to them. Management also should be held accountable for their staff and not make excuses for them. Excuses such as they have problems at home, or they are having a bad day.

Works Cited

Arizona State Legislature. (2011). 12-1810. Injunction against workplace harassment;

definitions (Fact sheet). Retrieved from Arizona Revised Statutes - Arizona

State Legislature: http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/12/01810.htm

Lateral Violence: Nurse Against Nurse. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.nursingworld.org/mods/mod440/article.pdf