New Sentinel Event Alert on Violence in Health Care

• 6/7/2010
• Author: Jim Parker
• Category: Perspectives on Patient Safety Blog
• 9599 Views
• 0 Comments
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Here’s a head’s up: The Joint Commission has issued Sentinel Event Alert, issue 45, “Preventing Violence in the Health Care Setting.”
Violence and crime represent a serious hazard to both patients and staff, and security can be a challenge because many organizations, such as hospitals, must be open to the public 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year.   The problem can take many shapes, one patient attacking another, visitors attacking patients or staff, patients attacking staff, or staff attacking or abusing patients.

The new alert discusses the roots of this problem and the ways in which organizations can present and address it.

As is the case with many safety issues, leadership can have a powerful impact on violence and crime prevention.  Preventing violence and crime should be recognized by leadership as an essential part of your patient safety program, occupational safety and health program, and your organizational safety culture. Leadership should make this clear to staff and patients. Basic, every day precautions for preventing violence should come as second nature to health care workers, as much so as for hand hygiene or safe disposal of sharps.

Has your organization experienced an act of violence? Share your story with other readers.  What happened? How did your organization respond?