Workplace Violence in U.S. Health Care Settings Assignment

Workplace Violence in U.S. Health Care Settings - Assignment Example Violence in the workplace is a multifaceted problem that is closely interwoven in the United States by several psychological, economic, social, situational, and medical crises.4 Violence can take place in any place or setting, and practically anyone within the healthcare environment can be a victim or offender- employers, employees, clients, family members, given the appropriate factors and conditions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) disclosed that ‘healthcare providers are at 16 times greater risk for violence than other workers.’5 This fact demonstrates the idea that the frequency of violence in the workplace is rising and is underreported. Once confined to psychiatric and emergency units, attacks take place in a broad range of settings, with a growth in the occurrences of assaults in healthcare settings.6 According to an investigation of incidents made public in 1991 of hospitals in Canada and the United States, the largest number of nonfatal attacks took place in patient or health care settings.7 Likewise, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) disclosed that 64% of nonfatal attacks happened in service organizations.8 Nurses are the major care providers in healthcare settings and can be in danger when giving care to perpetrators, victims, and witnesses. Scholars logically estimate that nurses and other providers of care are attacked more often than any other employees in the United States.9 An international research reported that ‘75% of all psychiatric nursing staff had been attacked at least once in their profession.10’ Furthermore, Blair and New (1997) guesstimate that roughly ‘50% of healthcare workers will be assaulted at least once in their careers.11’ Usually, majority of service organizations and occupations are at great danger given the considerable extent of contact with various people. The general operation and