In the last several years, the number of employees in hospitals across the country being attacked has significantly increased. A recent article in Talk Business & Politics says according to a Press Ganey analysis of the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators, on average more than two nursing personnel were assaulted every hour in 2022, with the assaults coming not only from patients, but also family members, visitors, and other co-workers.
Last year, the Arkansas Legislature passed a bill requiring every healthcare facility in the state to post a sign saying “We respect you. Please respect our staff. Attacking a healthcare worker is a FELONY.”
At Baxter Health in Mountain Home, CEO Ron Peterson says they are working on prevention and being proactive when it comes to the safety of their employees.
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Peterson says since COVID, cases of violence have continued to go up, with a big increase in 2023.
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Of those reported cases last year, four led to people being arrested.
Peterson says they are also seeing more cases where the hospital’s security personnel are being called.
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He says the security staff averages 6-8 calls per day for unruly patients.
The hospital CEO says other security measures they have implemented is installing new lights and security cameras in the parking lots, more security cameras in the building, they have enclosed the nurse’s stations in the behavioral health unit, they have restricted access to several areas of the hospital and they have restricted nighttime access to the hospital. They have also increased their security force and now have nine fulltime and four part-time employees.
Peterson says there are three departments in the hospital where most of the violence occurs.
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Peterson says it’s sad when violence like this occurs because the employees at Baxter Health are there to help people get better.
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Peterson says luckily none of the reported attacks on Baxter Health employees has led to serious injuries.
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