In the wake of last week’s
shooting at Danbury Hospital where an 85-year-old patient shot a nurse three times, hospitals are evaluating their safety procedures.
A 2009 report by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health said healthcare workers are more than three times as likely to be injured by acts of violence, than workers in other industries.
Because of this, hospitals are now offering annual safety classes based on best practice standards to their employees, according to Workplaceviolencenews.com. In addition, some states have mandated that hospitals begin violence prevention programs to reduce the number of attacks at hospitals and to make institutions safer for staff members.
Moreover, the news report said that older adults suffering from dementia are the patients most responsible for violent behavior.
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