Many people are fortunate enough not to have to worry about their physical and mental well-being when they go to work. Unfortunately, this is not the case for countless healthcare workers across the nation, for whom workplace violence is a daily concern.
In fact, 88% of healthcare professionals have experienced violence of some sort while at work, according to the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators.
This is particularly troubling knowing that healthcare workers have dedicated their careers to serving others, putting their communities first—day in and day out.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines workplace violence as:
"Incidents where staff are abused, threatened, or assaulted in circumstances related to their work, including commuting to and from work, involving an explicit or implicit challenge to their safety, well-being, or health."
WHO includes both physical and psychological harm under workplace violence, such as:
Violence against healthcare workers is inexcusable, and Renown Health has a zero tolerance for violence policy.
This policy explains that anyone who physically or verbally attacks another individual while at any of our locations may be removed from the premises and be criminally charged or prosecuted.
We expect all patients, visitors, employees and community members to treat each other with kindness and respect.
Renown Health has several systems in place to support and protect our staff:
We are among the first in the nation to have instituted a Zero Tolerance policy on workplace violence.
This policy reassures our employees that we have their backs and will act assertively if the environment becomes unsafe.
Healthcare is an industry like no other, with our most precious resource being our employees.
As a community, as patients and family members, we have an obligation to ensure that all healthcare workers are safe while they go about their work.
This starts with:
Thank you for working with us, and all healthcare providers, to create and maintain places of health and healing for all – and for leading with kindness.
