Can Violence Against Health Care Workers Be Prevented?

Background: Violence against health care workers is on the rise, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported rates doubled between 2018 and 2022. Health care workers are more likely to experience violence than other workers. Objective: To describe a pilot program with a goal of violence prevention. Methods: The authors working out of the University of Pennsylvania designed and piloted a program which identified high-risk patients and provided anticipatory guidance. This took the form of acknowledging the stress of hospitalization and providing patients with coping tools. Encouraged by the reduction from just 3.017 incidents to 1.823 incidents per 1000 patients after 2 months, they expanded the program. The second phase provided de-escalation training, and designed a behavioral emergency response protocol. Results: After 1 year, violence on the medical wards decreased by 48%. The neuroscience unit noted an initial decrease in violence followed by a rise. The authors more...