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Addressing Violence in the Workplace, Including Bullying & Sexual Harassment

Addressing Violence in the Workplace, Including Bullying & Sexual Harassment

It seems as though nowhere is protected from offenses at the workplace. Every day in the news we hear the same words:

  • Sexual Harassment
  • Bullying
  • Physical Violence
  • Verbal Abuse

But what we don’t expect is for these offenses to be happening in the very places that are supposed to protect, nurture, and heal people.

Over the last 50 years, I have spent my career in healthcare, first as a practicing physician, and then transitioned into hospital executive leadership with some of the highest regarded hospital organizations in our Country. No one could have convinced me back then that by the 21st Century, these three [3] ugly behavioral characteristics would become so prevalent in our industry. So much so, that on March 8, 2018, a member of the US House of Representatives, Ro Khanna, and a dozen of his colleagues, submitted a Bill to Congress entitled “Health Care Workplace Violence Prevention Act”. That was followed by The Joint Commission issuance of Sentinel Event Alert 59 on April 16, 2018…”Physical and verbal violence against health care workers”. How has this gotten so out of control?

Gary Slack, PE, and Jack Rutledge, and I comprise the National Healthcare ED “Team”. Motivated by the adverse effects Sexual Harassment, Bullying, and Workplace Violence can have on the healing environment that patients expect when they enter our facilities, we joined forces with Metropolitan Healthcare Security Directors Association of NYC, and the Advanced Continuing Education Association to create an online program, “Workplace Violence and Harassment in Healthcare”. Not only does this three [3] module offering provide timely and informative material, along with suggested correctional actions, but physicians subscribers will earn CME credit, and nurses will garner CE credit.

Being a clinician whose lifelong quest has been to keep patients safe in an environment of healing, I strongly urge my fellow clinicians to enroll in this new training. You’ll learn how these behavioral traits if left unchecked, can impact you, your fellow staff, and your patients…..and, how you can be part of the cure.

To learn more about “Workplace Violence and Harassment in Healthcare”, and to register for the program, go to www.nationalhealthcareed.com, and click on the icon for this training.

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