Violence in the Emergency Department
Contact Hours: 1
Cost: $10.00
Nursing is the only profession that tolerates continual and repeated patient abuse as an everyday occurrence. Violence against nurses appears to be an unstated and accepted aspect of the job that is tolerated by the healthcare profession and administration. Throughout the history of the U.S., nurses have been the target of disgruntled patients (including their families), especially in times of economic downturns where staffing is maintained at skeletal levels and patients are increasingly stressed due to unemployment and lack of healthcare insurance. Because of the intimate nature of giving nursing care, nurses are at the forefront of patient abuse. This course examines the causes of this violence, methods of prevention, and what administrative and legislative changes might address the issue in the future.
Objectives
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
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Recognize evidence of abusive behavior that might lead to patient-related violence
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Determine when to seek help before active abusive behavior escalates into violence
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Explain how to effectively handle lateral violence (bullying) by nurse to nurse and physician to nurse
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Compose recommendations on how to collaborate with leadership to implement anti-violence training
Curriculum
Chapter 1: Introduction - Recognizing and Preventing Violence
History of ED violence
Workplace Violence Defined
Prevalence of ED Violence
Costs of Violence
Healthcare Dollars Spent
Causes of Violence in the ED
Other Types of ED Violence Experienced
Recognizing ED Violence
Preventing ED Violence
Methods to De-Escalate Violence
Healthcare Administration and National Organizations Commitment to Address ED Violence
Current Legislative Action to End ED Workplace Violence
Looking to the Future
Chapter 2: Violence in the Emergency Department - Vignettes
Violence in the Emergency Department Vignette #1
Violence in the Emergency Department Vignette #2
Violence in the Emergency Department Vignette #3
Chapter 3: References
References
About the Author