Workplace violence is an increasingly recognized safety issue in the health care profession. The most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics1 indicates an increasing trend in violent incidents in the health care sector from 2011 to 2018, with almost three quarters (73%) of all nonfatal injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work occurring among health care workers. Compared to private industry, workers in hospital settings were eight times more likely to experience nonfatal violence-related injuries from other persons (22.8 vs. 2.9 incidents per 10,000 full-time workers).

St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, a 381-bed hospital located in Boise, ID will present on successful strategies and tactics to address the regulatory requirements of workplace violence prevention. St. Alphonsus is a hospital of Trinity Health, one of the largest not-for-profit, Catholic health care systems in the nation.

1U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Fact Sheet | Workplace Violence in Healthcare, 2018. (April 2020) https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/cfoi/workplace-violence-healthcare-2018.htm

Objectives:
1. Describe the four types of workplace violence and which two are prevalent in the healthcare industry
2. Discuss the “what” and “how” of best practices that address The Joint Commission accreditation standards of Environment of Care, Human Resources, and Leadership
3. Review key components of a workplace violence prevention program and the impact on workforce safety

Target Audience: Quality and patient safety, accreditation, security and safety team specialists, risk management, clinical team members, employee/occupational health, leadership

Speaker -
Tyler Kerns, M.Coun, LPC
Violence Prevention and Education Consultant
Saint Alphonsus Health System

Tyler is a Licensed Professional Counselor with 16 years of experience working in behavioral health. He received his BA in Psychology, with a minor in education from Shepherd University and master’s degree in counseling with a focus in clinical mental health from Idaho State University. Currently, Tyler serves as the chairperson leading the Trinity Health System Workplace Violence Prevention nation committee that is working to strengthen and standardize local violence prevention programs across 89 hospitals in 19 states.