Workplace Violence Prevention in Healthcare
Preventing and responding to violence from patients, residents and visitors, for frontline staff and managers: how common violence against healthcare workers is and why it is under-reported, OSHA's guidelines for healthcare and social service workers, state workplace violence laws and Joint Commission requirements, risk assessment and flagging of patients with a history of violence, responsive behaviors in dementia, de-escalation and therapeutic communication, personal safety and alarms, security and emergency responses, working alone in home health, harassment and racism from patients, supporting staff after an incident, and a unit violence prevention plan.
HSE-393 12 lessons · 4 h 21 min ▶ Video lessons coming soon
Offered by HSM University · Safety Training
This is the American version of this course. See the Canadian version.
What you'll learn
- Describe how common violence against healthcare workers is, the four types of workplace violence, the settings with the highest risk and why most incidents go unreported.
- Explain the general duty clause and OSHA guidelines, Minnesota's hospital violence law, and the Joint Commission and CMS requirements for workplace violence prevention.
- Carry out organizational and individual risk assessments and use flags with a reason and care plan that respect privacy and avoid stigma.
- Identify the causes of responsive behaviors in dementia and use person-centered approaches that prevent violence during care.
- Recognize the phases of escalation and use positioning, body language and verbal techniques to de-escalate agitated people.
- Use alarms, room setup, environmental design and personal habits to reduce the risk of injury and make sure help can be summoned.
- Describe the roles in a team response to a violent person, the limits on physical intervention and restraint, and the response to a person with a weapon.
- Apply screening, flagging, check-in procedures and personal safety practices to home and community care visits.
- Respond to harassment and discrimination from patients and visitors, including discriminatory requests for a different caregiver.
- Report violent incidents internally, on the OSHA 300 log and to OSHA or the insurer as required, and support workers after an incident.
- Apply the controls used in emergency departments and mental health units, including trauma-informed care and weapons screening.
- Write, carry out and evaluate a unit violence prevention plan with measurable indicators.
Course content
12 lessons · 4 h 21 min total · final exam
- 1 Violence in healthcare: what the data show 22 min · quiz
- 2 Laws and requirements for violence prevention 22 min · quiz
- 3 Risk assessment and flagging 22 min · quiz
- 4 Responsive behaviors and dementia care 22 min · quiz
- 5 De-escalation and therapeutic communication 22 min · quiz
- 6 Personal safety, alarms and room setup 22 min · quiz
- 7 Security and emergency responses to violence 22 min · quiz
- 8 Home and community care visits 21 min · quiz
- 9 Harassment and discrimination from patients 22 min · quiz
- 10 After an incident: reporting and support 22 min · quiz
- 11 Emergency departments and high-risk units 21 min · quiz
- 12 Capstone: a unit violence prevention plan 21 min · quiz
- E Final exam 20 questions
Requirements
Recommended background. You can start any course at any time.
Description
Preventing and responding to violence from patients, residents and visitors, for frontline staff and managers: how common violence against healthcare workers is and why it is under-reported, OSHA's guidelines for healthcare and social service workers, state workplace violence laws and Joint Commission requirements, risk assessment and flagging of patients with a history of violence, responsive behaviors in dementia, de-escalation and therapeutic communication, personal safety and alarms, security and emergency responses, working alone in home health, harassment and racism from patients, supporting staff after an incident, and a unit violence prevention plan.