Workplace Violence Expert W.Barry Nixon Comes to Aid of Beleaguered Health Care Workers
Nixon Offers Security Tips: Seven Things Every Health Care Worker Needs to Know About Workplace Violence.
LAKE FOREST, CA (PRWEB) JULY 27, 2005 -- From 1996 to 2000, 69 health care
workers were killed on the job and among all American workers, health care and
social services have the highest rates of non-fatal assault injuries in the
workplace. According to a recent study by the American Nursing Association
(ANA), nearly a half million nurses per year reported that they were victims of
violent crimes in the workplace. With this in mind, preeminent workplace
violence expert, W. Barry Nixon, SPHR, Executive Director, National Institute
for the Prevention of Workplace Violence, Inc., has released a list of 7 things
every health care worker needs to know about workplace violence.
“Every
individual has a right to a safe workplace. My goal is to provide a quick set of
easily assimilated tips anyone can use. While every Healthcare Worker should
accept the fact that, given the increasing statistics, the chance of being
exposed to Workplace Violence is very real; Healthcare Workers should also adapt
and completely accept the paradigm that ‘violence is not a part of the job.’
Refuse to accept that becoming a victim is inevitable because most incidents of
workplace violence are preventable if the organization and employees take the
necessary steps to prevent it,” commented Nixon.
According to Nixon,
there are 7 things every health care worker needs to know about Workplace
Violence:
1. Adapt and completely accept the paradigm
that ‘violence is not a part of the job.’ Also, given recent statistics, accept
the fact that the chance of you being exposed to workplace violence is very
real. Refuse to accept that becoming a victim is inevitable because most
incidents of workplace violence are preventable if your organization and
employees take the necessary steps to prevent it.
(see NIX Model for
Managing Workplace Violence at www.Workplaceviolence911.com
2.
Read your organizations workplace violence prevention policy and understand the
definition of workplace violence and its components. (See Model Policies and
definitions at www.Workplaceviolence911.com).
3.
Make a commitment to know, understand and recognize the potential warning signs
or ‘at risk’ behaviors that individuals frequently demonstrate prior to an
incident of workplace violence.
4. Make a commitment to
get training in workplace violence prevention. Request that your Union and/or
Employer offers a program and if this does not happen, seek out information from
the Human Resources, Security, Occupational Health & Safety departments; a
professional association, e.g., ANA, AAOHN, ASIS, SHRM, etc.; from the internet;
(www.Workplaceviolence911.com), or read a book on the subject.
5. Take responsibility for your own safety and
security at work. Report any and all concerns to the designated company
representative, such as an Occupational Health and Safety professional, Human
Resource or security manager. Don’t let peer pressure, a code of silence, belief
that management will not take action or anything else prevent you from taking
steps to protect yourself. If you recognize that a colleague, patients or
visitors is exhibiting ‘at risk’ behavior, report
it.
6. As an employee, report any concerns about unsafe
work conditions, breaches of your security policies or environmental or
organizational conditions that may contribute to workplace violence to your
human resources representative, security or occupational health professional.
7. If your organization has a process for identifying
high-risk patients and flagging charts or records of patients with a history of
violence, make sure you understand it and take precautionary steps to protect
yourself. Never dismiss these processes as unnecessary or not applicable (based
on your experience with the person.) If your organization does not have a
process, work with Human Resources, Security, or Occupational Health &
Safety professionals to develop one.
Nixon offers these final words of
advice; ”while it is certainly an organization’s responsibility to provide a
safe work environment for its employees, remember that it is your life that may
be at stake; don’t leave any stone unturned and do all you can to protect
yourself.”
Mr. Nixon is certified in Security, Anger Management and
Trauma Response. He is a recognized expert and regularly speaks at industry
conferences such as ASIS International, Employment Management Association, SHRM,
etc. He has authored many published articles and is regularly interviewed by
radio and TV news shows as a workplace violence expert, both domestic and
international.
Mr. Nixon is also creator of the award winning web site
www.workplaceviolence911.com, the Ultimate Workplace Violence
Prevention Policy Maker Software and www.PreemploymentDirectory.com, the most comprehensive source
of background screening firms available on the Internet.
Complete details
and a full review of workplace violence issues can be found at www.workplaceviolence911.com. Or by calling W. Barry Nixon at
949-770-5264.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/7/prweb266102.htm