8 Workplace Violence Prevention Strategies for Nurses

8. SAFETY IN NON-INSTITUTIONAL HEALTHCARE SETTINGS 

Healthcare organizations have a responsibility to establish protective policies for staff working outside of the facility, such as in-home care settings.

NIOSH recommends the following safety checklist for non-institutional healthcare settings:

• Review agency files to confirm a background check was done on a patient
• Check to see if a patient’s family member has a record of violence or arrest
• If entering a situation already assessed over the phone as potentially dangerous, you should be accompanied by a team member who has training in de-escalation and crisis intervention
• Always have a cell phone
• Be sure someone knows where you are

Case Study 3 provides an in-home healthcare scenario.