Male doctor in mask putting up hand

Workplace Violence Prevention

Zero Tolerance: How Renown’s New Committee is Working to Protect Employees

Violence against healthcare workers is on the increase nationwide and in Nevada. The health and safety of all who are here is a top priority. Hospitals are for health and safety, care and compassion.

Renown’s Workplace Violence Prevention Committee provides a supportive and safe space for employees and caregivers:

  • Change the culture around asking for help and reporting violence
  • Educate staff about types of abuse
  • Creation of a code assault team: provides support and assists staff should they want to press charges
  • Train staff in high risk areas bout de-escalation techniques
  • Communicate associated laws

Those who physically or verbally attack another individual while in a Renown facility may be removed from the premises and/or be criminally charged and prosecuted. It is a felony to assault or injure a healthcare professional (OSHA 3148-04R 2015).

Acts of violence can include the following:

  • Anger-related accidents
  • Arson
  • Displays of anger
  • Physical assaults – battery, grabbing, punching, kicking, pushing/shoving
  • Sabotage, pranks
  • Sexual assault
  • Stalking/surveillance
  • Theft
  • Threats – shaking fist, verbal or written, violating personal space
  • Throwing objects
  • Vandalism, property damage
  • Verbal assaults – screaming, swearing, verbal abuse

 

How You Can Help

Get Help.

Don’t ignore or tolerate acts of violence that you personally experience or witness a coworker experience. If you witness or are confronted with workplace violence, initiate help by:

Call Security Dispatch at ext. 6666 and say “Code Gray” include the location.

  • Those departments not located within Renown Regional, Renown Regional Adjacent Non-Hospital locations, Renown South Meadows, Renown Rehabilitation or for all other Non-Hospital location emergencies, please call (9) 9-1-1.
  • Please check with your leader, if you are unclear about who to call in emergencies.
  • Stay on the line until the dispatcher says to hang up.
  • Be prepared to relay subject description: estimated age, race, height, weight, sex, hat, shirt, pants, shoes or distinctive markings.

In acute care areas, upon hearing CODE GRAY paged overhead, any available de-escalation team member should respond, if possible.

Report it.

Report it via the online safety event reporting system Midas so appropriate leadership can review and follow up to support employees.