(WSPA) — Some Upstate hospitals are adopting “no tolerance” policies due to a rise in aggressive and abusive behavior toward healthcare workers.
Prisma Health and Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System facilities have posted signs, saying “physical assault, inappropriate contact/conduct, abusive or foul language, and threats” are not tolerated in their facilities.
According to a survey by the American Nurses Association, “one in four nurses reported being physically assaulted.“
“It’s happening more often than people think,” Teshieka Curtis-Pugh, the executive director of the South Carolina Nurses Association, said. “It’s happening everyday in hospitals around our state and around the country where people are not feeling safe to go to work.”
Curtis-Pugh said the number of threats against healthcare workers has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“By 2030, we will be fourth in the nation for the nursing shortage in South Carolina,” Curtis-Pugh said. “We don’t want to do anything that’s going to cause that shift to happen faster. We need to keep our nurses at the bedside, but more importantly, we need to keep them safe.”
Curtis-Pugh said the South Carolina Nurses Associations is working with the state legislature to enact new laws to better protect healthcare workers.
She encourages healthcare workers to report incidents of mistreatment.
“People are not reporting what’s happening to them,” Curtis-Pugh said. “Sometimes it’s out of shame. Sometimes it’s out of fear of retaliation. But, we need them to report. Even if it’s reporting anonymously, if our hospitals create mechanisms for anonymous reporting so that people feel safe being able to say, ‘I don’t feel safe in my work environment,’ that is huge.”
The Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System provided the following statement to 7NEWS about aggressive behavior toward healthcare workers:
Like hospitals across the country, Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System has seen an increase in violent and disruptive acts toward our associates, nurses and providers in recent years. As a result, signs have been placed throughout our hospitals notifying patients and visitors that abusive behavior will not be tolerated within our facilities.
We recognize dealing with medical issues can be stressful for patients and family members. However, healthcare workers deserve a safe work environment as they care for our community each day.
Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System
Prisma Health provided the following statement:
Prisma Health is unwavering in its commitment to fostering a safe and secure workplace for every team member and the patients under our care. Unfortunately, there has been a noticeable increase in incidents of aggression and violence against healthcare workers across the country.
Prisma Health has implemented a comprehensive approach to workplace safety featuring dedicated security measures at our facilities and enhanced staff training focused on de-escalation and other measures intended to maintain a safe environment for our patients and our team members.
This training is designed in alignment with national best practices, and we consistently evaluate and update our strategies to reflect the latest standards in ensuring a secure environment for all.
Prisma Health
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January 24, 2024 at 11:07AM
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Upstate hospitals working to prevent aggressive behavior toward healthcare workers - WSPA 7News
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