Stemming A Future of Workplace Violence
Posted by York Student RN on April 30, 2009
Chances are that most of us heading into the workforce as new nurses will experience violence.
The National Survey of the Work and Health of Nurses reported in 2005 that more than 34% of nurses said they had been physically abused in the last year.
ONA president Haslam-Stroud said that the number has most likely risen and will rise in the future if nothing is done to stop violence.
The ONA has lobbied the Ontario government over the past few years to amend the Occupational Health and Safety Act to better protect nurses.
Recently the government announced amendments to the act that it says will do more to protect health workers.
Physical abuse is only one form of violence nurses face as problems such as verbal attacks and sexual harassment continue to be an issue.
There should be a zero tolerance policy for any type of violence, backed up by the organization a nurse works for and not just legislation.
Since workplace violence continues to be an issue, it makes me wonder why organizations don’t seem to take more accountability and ensure safety for their employees.
