Citation

Foster TM. J. Emerg. Nurs. 2023; 49(3): e309.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Emergency Nurses Association, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jen.2023.02.004

PMID

37150552

Abstract

I don't have to tell anyone reading this column about the increasing incidence of violence seen in our emergency departments. At times, incivility seems to be at an all-time high. I'm not sure if this is pandemic related or not. Not too long ago, we were "health care heroes" (a name I never felt completely comfortable with), and it seems in a short amount of time, emergency nurses were gradually back to being threatened and assaulted.

We've all seen news videos of terrible violent acts occurring in restaurants against food service workers and even on airlines against flight attendants. Those actions, which some of us see on an almost daily basis, cannot be recorded in the emergency department (although it would speak volumes about the workplace violence we endure!).
If you're walking through the grocery and someone approaches you in a hostile manner, threatens you, and then assaults you, charges can be brought and pursued against that perpetrator. Why do we seem to often lose that right simply because we clock in to work? I have heard all too often that "it comes with the job!" This is an appalling and pathetic response to a national crisis. Emergency nurses should never be discouraged from pressing charges, although this has often been the case.

In conjunction with Robert Kramer, Emergency Nurses Association's (ENA) Director of Government Relations, we want to update you on our very active presence in combating workplace violence.

Language: en