Challenge Tips

It’s day 5 of the #EndNurseAbuse challenge.

Today's tip is to be part of the solution. Join your organization’s workplace violence prevention task force or safety committee. If they don’t have one, talk to your manager and HR about forming one. These are items the task force can focus on immediately: 

 

• Identify possible causes, risks, and contributing factors of workplace violence by reviewing the events surrounding violent incidents and threats against nurses 
• Recognize practices and procedures that pose risk of violence  
• Learn precautions and implement preventive measures 
• Create short- and long-term recommendations for preventing workplace violence 
• Put new, safer action plans and policies in place  
• Explore seamless ways that staff can report incidents 

Bonus Tips for Employers: 

Make sure nurses know that management encourages and expects all violent incidents to be reported, including threats, “near misses” or unacceptable actions from patients, visitors, and other employees, including fellow nurses. Let your nurses know that you are committed to:  

• Thoroughly investigating all violent incidents or threats 
• Inviting them to share weaknesses within the reporting system, so the process and communication can be improved  
• Continuously working to strengthen the response to workplace violence and the processes that are in place to make it more effective 
• Providing counseling and support following an incident 

For more tactics and resources available to nurses and their employers, read ANA’s Incivility, Bullying, and Workplace Violence Position Statement. 

How are you doing in the challenge so far? Share with us here or let us know in our discussion, in our Facebook group or reply to us on twitter.

Find this helpful? Use the social media links on the bottom or left side of your page to share it. 

Have you checked our monthly challenges? This is where you`ll find tips from some of our latest and greatest.