Why is Healthcare so Dangerous?
Understanding the risks in your work environment
OSHA's Previous Findings:
Between 2010 and 2017 OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) conducted research into workplace violence throughout industries in the United States.
The majority of workplace-related assaults occurred in the healthcare and social service settings (OSHA, 2015).² While media attention tends to focus on reports of workplace homicides, the vast majority of violent workplace incidents result in non-fatal, yet serious injuries.
BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) data show that the majority of injuries from assaults at work that required days away from work occurred in the healthcare and social services settings. Between 2011 and 2013, workplace assaults ranged from 23,540 and 25,630 annually, with 70-74% occurring in healthcare and social services. For healthcare workers, assaults comprise 10-11% of workplace injuries involving days away from work compared to 3% of injuries of all private sector employees.³
The figures regarding violence against health workers from the previous decade make for some grim reading. It should also be noted that research has found that workplace violence is underreported—suggesting that the actual rates may be much higher.
The Joint Commission, 2018 ⁴
Today's Results and Statistics
The current figures from the BLS show there are 3,504,230 people employed as Home Health and Personal Care Aides. The statistics show the vast majority are reported to be 88% female, 29% Black or African American, and 19% Latino or Hispanic.⁵
Jumping ahead, the Bureau of Labor Statistics' most recent findings show that 14 years later, still more workers are injured in the healthcare and social assistance industry sector than any other. This industry still has one of the highest rates of work related injuries and illnesses and it continues to rise. In 2020, the healthcare and social assistance industry reported a 40% increase in injury and illness cases - 806,200 cases! ⁶
A report from Press Ganey found that more than two nursing personnel were assaulted every hour in Q2 2022. That equates to roughly 57 assaults per day, 1,739 assaults per month and 5,217 assaults per quarter! ⁷
Performance Health Partners, 2023 ⁸
It seems that people have forgotten Federal law entitles everyone to a safe workplace. That the first statement in the OSHA Workers' Rights is:
Workers have the right to: Working conditions that do not pose a risk of serious harm.
Unfortunately for employers, a lot of Healthcare workers are deciding they cannot continue to expose themselves to these levels of harm and constant danger.
Performance Health Partners, 2023 ¹¹
An American Nurses Association survey of nearly 10,000 nurses revealed about 25% of respondents said they plan to leave their job in six months, and another 30% said they were thinking about leaving because of work stress.⁹ To better understand healthcare worker concerns, Motorola Solutions conducted the Healthcare Worker Safety Survey. The study, which was carried out between December 2022-January 2023, features responses from 500 respondents working in the healthcare field, including doctors, nurses, technicians and administrators. The results showed:
Personal safety is a top priority for healthcare workers and factors into whether they continue working in the industry.
When asked about their top employment priorities during a job search, 26% of respondents said that workplace safety is among their highest priorities. More than half (54%) of healthcare workers noted that they would be at least somewhat likely to quit if a violent incident unfolded in their workplace. Persistent staff attrition and shortages create a vicious cycle that can ultimately cause more staff safety concerns.¹º
Healthcare employees believe the right safety communications and training will help them feel more prepared for workplace safety scenarios.
Specifically, respondents shared that they would feel more prepared if their workplace utilized panic button technology or another 9-1-1 alerting system (55%); conducted safety procedure training (51%); used customized text and/or phone alerts (48%); made safety plans digital and easy to access for all staff (46%); and offered a safety app with resources, plans, and emergency contacts (44%).¹²
Organizations, communities, and policies must prioritize protecting health workers from workplace violence and ensure that they have sufficient personal protective equipment to do so.
Workplace violence in the home healthcare environment is a complex problem and requires multi-faceted prevention efforts to solve it.
