Citation

Gupta I, Eid SM, Harris CM, Kauffman R, Washburn C, Singh A, Gundareddy VP, Kisuule F. J. Community Hosp. Intern. Med. Perspect. 2023; 13(3): 1-5.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.55729/2000-9666.1189

PMID

37877044

PMCID

PMC10593168

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Workplace violence (WPV) is increasing in healthcare and negatively impacts healthcare worker outcomes. De-escalation training for healthcare workers is recommended to reduce WPV from patients and visitors. Hospitalists may be at high risk for WPV, but the magnitude of WPV and the impact of de-escalation training among hospitalists is not known.

METHODS: We investigated the baseline prevalence of WPV experienced by 37 hospitalists at a single center. After an in-person de-escalation training, we measured hospitalists' self-reported "Confidence in Coping with Patient Aggression" using a validated scale (score range 10-110).

RESULTS: In the 12 months before de-escalation training, 86.5% of participants reported at least one form of WPV: 83.8% verbal abuse, 29.7% racial abuse, 18.9% physical violence, and 16.2% sexual abuse. The mean confidence score increased significantly from pre-training (43.2) to immediately after training (68.5) and remained significantly elevated at three months (57.2), six months (60.2), and after 12 months (59.9) (all P < 0.05; P(trend) <0.05).

CONCLUSION: Hospitalists are at high risk for WPV. Structured in-person de-escalation training may provide the sustained ability for hospitalists to cope with WPV.

Language: en

Keywords

Abuse; Workplace violence; Crisis prevention; De-escalation; Hospitalists