The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) have teamed up to launch “No Silence on ED Violence,” a new campaign aimed at addressing the rising number of workplace violence incidents that take place in the ED.
The move comes amid surveys conducted by the two groups that reveal nearly half of emergency physicians and about 70% of emergency nurses report experiencing a physical assault at work.1
The campaign is designed to raise awareness about the on-the-job dangers ED personnel face daily, and to prompt action among key stakeholders and policymakers toward ensuring emergency clinicians and staff can operate in a safe environment.
In a joint statement, ENA President Patricia Kunz Howard, PhD, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN, NE-BC, FAEN, FAAN, stated that no nurse, physician, or other healthcare professional working in the ED should feel unsafe.
“We’re there to care for people, not to have to question our own safety,” she said. “Workplace violence is really important to us in the emergency department because it really impacts the care we deliver.”2
William Jaquis, MD, FACEP, president of ACEP, noted most emergency nurses and physicians have been affected directly by violence. “It goes everywhere from verbal violence, which happens frequently, to physical violence,” he said. “Ultimately, we hope that in sharing our stories we will gain insight and share resources on how to prevent any future harm to our medical teams and our patients.”2
Indeed, through the campaign website (http://bit.ly/39uaTDc), emergency personnel are invited to share their experiences with workplace violence to build public awareness about the problem.
The site also offers links to resources for training and education, important research on the topic, and expert advice on how to address or prevent workplace violence in the emergency setting.
Further, the site includes information about proposed legislation as well as current state and federal laws focused on reducing violence in healthcare. Campaign developers are making this information available so emergency medicine leaders can better advocate for positive changes in their own states and communities.
REFERENCES
- EmergencyPhysicians.org. Violence in emergency departments is increasing, harming patients, new research finds. Oct. 2, 2018. Available at: http://bit.ly/2Qeuq1B.
- EmergencyPhysicians.org. Emergency physicians and emergency nurses unite to stop ED violence. Nov. 18, 2019. Available at: http://bit.ly/39amUOa.
Campaign is designed to raise awareness about the on-the-job dangers ED personnel face daily, and to prompt action among key stakeholders and policymakers toward ensuring emergency clinicians and staff can operate in a safe environment.
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