Within the last few years, Harrison Memorial Hospital in Bremerton, Wash., has taken extra security precautions to control increasing violence, said Kathleen Sanford, RN, the organization s vice president for nursing. New hospital features include bulletproof glass, rebuilt entrances to the ER to restrict access if necessary, and lock-down features between the ER and the rest of the facility. All employees receive safety training, updated annually, and assistance in filing charges against instigators. Although no amount of preparation or precautions can make a setting immune to violence, they can help minimize harm to staff and patients. Okla. His company studies workplace violence in all arenas.
Violence is never acceptable.
Shultz knows that firsthand. Unfortunately, her would-be assailant was never caught, although she reported the incident immediately. Through sheer nerve, she was able to go back to the parking lot, but she never received any formal counseling to deal with the incident. But she retells her story frequently to teach violence prevention and awareness to the next generation of nurses to make sure they can avert a violent encounter.