USA: Escalating workplace violence rocks hospitals
Across the USA, many doctors, nurses and other health care workers have remained silent about an 'epidemic of violence' against them. The violent outbursts come from patients and patients' families - and for years, it has been considered part of the job.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), incidents of serious workplace violence are four times more common in health care than in private industry. And a poll conducted by the American College of Emergency Physicians in August last year found nearly half of emergency physician respondents reported having been physically assaulted. More than 60% of them said the assault occurred within the previous year.
Groups representing doctors and nurses say that, while the voluntary safety improvements that some hospitals have enacted are a good first step, more needs to be done.
Read more: The Morning Call