Slide 1- Introduction

• Violence at places of work is a known threat in the healthcare sector
• It is described as any threat or act of physical aggravation, abuse or any other disorderly conduct that takes place at work.
• In many health facilities, violent behaviors in the workplace is a considerable issue

Speaker Notes

In most workplaces today, numerous cases of workplace violence result from multiple factors. Healthcare organizations feel the heaviest pinch from aggression in the workplace (Gillespie et al., 2014). It is a hazard in healthcare organizations. It is considered as a threat or act of physical nuisance, bullying, violence or any other unruly conduct that happens at the workplace. Workplace aggression is a massive issue in the healthcare sector, calling for immediate passage of HR 5223.

Slide 2- Cont’

• Healthcare providers are a high risk of workplace violence more than any other professionals
• OSHA reports that violence in the workplace is four more prevalent in healthcare environments as compared to other industries
• Around 8% to 38% of health care providers experience physical abuse at some time in their profession
• Many healthcare providers are often subjected to verbal attack or threats
• The rate of violence in a healthcare setting is seemingly increasing
• Violence perpetrated against healthcare providers is unacceptable

Speaker Notes

Health care providers face the highest level of risk of abuse among all the professions across the globe. Today, around 8-38 percent of healthcare workers are experiencing physical violence in their careers (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 2019). At the same time, many of the healthcare providers are often exposed to verbal attack or threats. In most cases, violence in the workplace is perpetrated by visitors and patients. In unfortunate or conflict situations, healthcare workers can be targeted by political or collective violence (Hader, 2018).

Slide 3 Cont’

• Healthcare workplace violence has negative impacts on the providers and their jobs
• It affects the quality of care, putting healthcare provision at great risk
• Can also lead to a substantial financial loss in the healthcare organization
• Interventions should, therefore, be set to protect healthcare workers from violence and reduce the cases of abuse in the healthcare setting

Speaker Notes

Violence perpetrated against healthcare providers is unacceptable. It has negative impacts on the physical and psychological wellbeing of healthcare workers. It also has a significant effect on their motivation at work (Lanctot & Guay, 2014). As a result, violence affects the quality of health care provided thus putting healthcare provision at significant risk. Steps should be taken to prevent violent incidences in the healthcare setting, mainly through better management of violent patients as well as high-risk visitors.

Slide 4

Current Risks faced by healthcare providers from workplace violence

• Loss of job satisfaction
• Injuries
• Increased stress levels
• Temporary or permanent inability
• Trauma

Speaker Notes

There are numerous risks that healthcare providers may face from workplace violence. Some of the dangers include trauma associated with the lousy experience of violence and injuries that can sometimes be severe (Magnavita, 2014). At the same time, abuse can result in increased levels of stress among healthcare professionals, hence affecting their morale. Some healthcare workers who experience violence in the workplace may sometimes experience permanent or inability to continue with their careers.

Slide 5 Cont’

• The high cost of litigation against the violence perpetrators
• The feeling of fear, guilt, or anger
• Negatively affects interpersonal relationships
• Loss of employee motivation and morale
• Risk of destroying the organization’s image.
• Death

Speaker Notes

There is also a high cost associated with litigation against those who perpetrate the violence. Many of those who experience workplace violence develop fear, anger, and guilt that negatively impact their work. The employees also tend to lose their morale because of the fear of being attacked (Magnavita, 2014). In healthcare organizations where workplace violence often occurs, their image among the public is distorted. It takes a great deal of time for such organizations to gain the trust of the people again. In places with violence, death can sometimes be inevitable, particularly in cases of physical abuse.

Slide 6

Those who are more at risk

• Nurses
• Doctors
• Healthcare workers (staff)
• Paramedics
• Emergency room staff
• Patients and their families

Speaker Notes

Healthcare workers, nurses, and doctors are continuously at higher risk of workplace violence because they are directly involved in patient care. Others include paramedics and emergency room staffs. This calls for immediate implementation of the Health Care Workplace Violence Protection Act that puts a comprehensive plan for solving this widespread issue. Patients and their loved ones are at risk too since violence affects anyone around (Gillespie et al., 2014).

Slide 7

Passage of HR 5223

• The enactment of Passage of HR 5223 would help reduce the impact the workplace abuse witnessed in many healthcare settings.
• The bill would ensure that OSHA creates a national benchmark on the prevention of violence in places of work.
• It would require the healthcare organizations to create and implement comprehensive unit-specific and facility-specific plans to prevent workplace violence
• This legislation is key to reducing the high rates of violence experienced in the healthcare industry as compared to other sectors

Speaker Notes

Passing the HR 5223 by Congress would be a great addition to the improvement of activities in the healthcare industry. The bill would work towards reducing the cases of workplace violence in healthcare sectors. It would supplement the operations of OSHA to create a national standard for preventing violence. The bill is a crucial addition and anyone who can see the effects of abuse in healthcare workplaces would support it as well.

Slide 8 Cont’

• The bill focuses on:
• Prevention
• Training
• Employee participation
• The Act would establish the effectiveness of the national standards.
• It defines workplace violence mostly to entail physical violence approach and violence threats.
• Considers staffing as a critical component in preventing the occurrence of violence and quick response when it occurs.

Speaker Notes

HR 5223 is mostly focused on the prevention, training, as well as the participation of all members of the healthcare provision team to develop adequate national standards that would help reduce the issue of violence. Corporate staffing is considered as a crucial strategy in preventing the occurrence of abuse (Papa & Venella, 2015).

Slide 9

• A theoretical model that would benefit from the passage of HR 5223
• OSHA will significantly benefit from the passage of the Act
• Currently, OSHA does not have a regulation related explicitly to workplace violence prevention in the healthcare
• The adoption of HR 5223 would help undertake a comprehensive review of the security measures that would help reduce workplace violence

Speaker Notes

The passage of HR 5223 would hugely impact OSHA regulatory body by developing workplace related regulations for the reduction of violence, which it did not have. Currently, OSHA does have rules that are specifically meant to reduce workplace violence.

Slide 10

Stakeholders who would benefit from the passage of the HR 5223

• Nurses
• Doctors
• Healthcare workers
• Patients
• By reducing violence in the workplace, the act would create a conducive environment for healthcare provision.
• The morale of healthcare providers and healthcare workers would be improved.
• Little or no injuries resulting from workplace violence will be experienced.
• Patients will benefit from improved quality of healthcare provision

Speaker Notes

Different stakeholders would benefit from the passage of the bill. First of all, healthcare providers would be saved from the fear of being attacked. The patients, on the other hand, will benefit from the conducive environment for the providers to offer them quality healthcare. Healthcare workers would be motivated to provide high-quality services (Smith-Pitman & McKoy, 2014). Cases of injuries or death among healthcare providers and patients would be reduced.

Slide 11

Potential barriers to the passage of HR 5223

• Bill must be supported by the majority in the House of Representatives
• The bill must be passed identically by a majority in every house
• Enough financing and lobbying for the passage of the bill
• Lack of cooperation among stakeholders in the development of the violence reduction plans
• These barriers can be limited to by effective training programs aimed at highlighting the value and significance of the bill

Speaker Notes

Passage of the law may meet specific barriers. First of all, the bill must go through both the upper and lower house and garner the support of the majority. It the majority do not support the law; it would not be passed. This, therefore, requires intensive lobbying among the legislators. Training programs should be effected to underline the value of the bill.

Slide 12

Conclusion

• The rate of violence in the workplace in the healthcare sector is much more than other industries
• Healthcare workplace violence has enormous impacts on the morale and lives of the healthcare providers, patients, the healthcare organizations
• It also has significant implications on the health care quality
• The passage of HR 5223 would dramatically help nurses and other workers focus on the health care quality
• It emphasizes prevention, training as well as the participation of workers.
• Its passage would supplement the work of OSHA to minimize the incidences of violence in the workplace.
• Therefore, it is noted that the passage of the HR 5223 bill would be an ingredient for active operations in the healthcare sector.

 

 

References

Gillespie, G., Gates, D., Miller, M., & Howard, P. (2014). Workplace violence in healthcare settings: risk factors and protective strategies. Rehabilitation Nursing, 35(5), 177-184.

Hader, R. (2018). Workplace violence survey 2008: Unsettling findings. Nursing Management, 39(7), 13-19.

Lanctôt, N., & Guay, S. (2014). The aftermath of workplace violence among healthcare workers: A systematic literature review of the consequences. Aggression and violent behavior, 19(5), 492-501.

Magnavita, N. (2014). Workplace Violence and Occupational Stress in Healthcare Workers: A Chicken‐and‐Egg Situation—Results of a 6‐Year Follow‐up Study. Journal of nursing scholarship, 46(5), 366-376.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (2019) Occupational Hazards in Hospitals. Violence. [on line].US Department of Health and Social Services. Available at: http://www.niosh.gov

Papa, A., & Venella, J. (2015). Workplace violence in healthcare: strategies for advocacy. Online J Issues Nurs, 18(1).

Smith‐Pittman, M. & McKoy, Y. (2014). Workplace violence in healthcare environments. In Nursing Forum (Vol. 34, No. 3, pp. 5-13). Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing Ltd.