Nurses at University Hospital and University Hospital Psychiatric Center have experienced numerous incidents of attacks.
Since December 2023, online court records show that the MU Psychiatric Center has reported three attacks on nurses. The American Nurses Association reveals that one in every four nurses in the United States has reported being assaulted in the past year. This means that approximately two nurses are assaulted every hour across the nation.
“And I vividly recall witnessing the ground below me, observing the events unfold, and feeling a sense of confusion and disbelief. In that moment, I couldn’t help but wonder what was happening around me. As a mother to a three-year-old daughter, my primary desire was to fulfill my role as her mother, to be present in her life. I couldn’t shake the thought that I would rather be at home with her than in that situation,” Jensinger expressed.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a staggering 73% of all nonfatal workplace injuries related to violence were suffered by healthcare workers in 2020.
According to the American Hospital Association, violence in the healthcare field has been on the rise since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The entire health care system has been under immense strain due to the pandemic, and regrettably, there have been instances where health care staff have faced attacks from patients, visitors, and family members, putting our workforce’s ability to provide care at risk,” states the report released by the American Hospital Association.
The American Hospital Association is advocating for federal legislation to safeguard healthcare professionals. As per the report, nearly half of all nurses (44%) have encountered physical violence, while a significant majority (68%) have faced verbal abuse amid the ongoing pandemic.
University Hospital prioritizes the safety of its patients and employees above all else. In response to the growing rates of violence against health care providers nationwide, MU Health Care has taken proactive steps to enhance its workplace violence prevention and control program. This initiative aims to foster a culture of safety and effectively address incidents of aggression and violence.
MU Health Care has taken steps to address workplace violence by introducing the Behavioral Emergency Response Team (BERT). This team, led by nurses, focuses on implementing interventions that aim to reduce the occurrence of physical violence in the workplace.
Multiple nurses have been attacked at MU Health since December, according to recent reports. This concerning trend highlights the increasing safety risks faced by healthcare professionals in their line of work. The incidents, which have occurred over the past few months, underscore the need for enhanced security measures and support for nurses in order to ensure their safety and well-being. The safety and security of healthcare workers should always remain a top priority, and urgent action must be taken to address these alarming incidents.
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