Workplace Violence and Harassment Against Emergency Medicine Residents
Introduction: Several studies have shown that workplace violence in the emergency department (ED) is common. Residents may be among the most vulnerable staff, as they have the least experience with these volatile encounters. The goal for this study was to quantify and describe acts of violence again...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eScholarship Publishing, University of California
2016-09-01
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| Series: | Western Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://escholarship.org/uc/item/3md9g1kz |
| _version_ | 1818971244208324608 |
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| author | Benjamin H. Schnapp Abra L. Fant Michael A. Gisondi Anar D. Shah Kaushal H. Shah Benjamin H. Slovis Christie A. Lech |
| author_facet | Benjamin H. Schnapp Abra L. Fant Michael A. Gisondi Anar D. Shah Kaushal H. Shah Benjamin H. Slovis Christie A. Lech |
| author_sort | Benjamin H. Schnapp |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Several studies have shown that workplace violence in the emergency department (ED) is common. Residents may be among the most vulnerable staff, as they have the least experience with these volatile encounters. The goal for this study was to quantify and describe acts of violence against emergency medicine (EM) residents by patients and visitors and to identify perceived barriers to safety.
Methods: This cross-sectional survey study queried EM residents at multiple New York City hospitals. The primary outcome was the incidence of violence experienced by residents while working in the ED. The secondary outcomes were the subtypes of violence experienced by residents, as well as the perceived barriers to safety while at work.
Results: A majority of residents (66%, 78/119) reported experiencing at least one act of physical violence during an ED shift. Nearly all residents (97%, 115/119) experienced verbal harassment, 78% (93/119) had experienced verbal threats, and 52% (62/119) reported sexual harassment. Almost a quarter of residents felt safe “Occasionally,” “Seldom” or “Never” while at work. Patient-based factors most commonly cited as contributory to violence included substance use and psychiatric disease.
Conclusion: Self-reported violence against EM residents appears to be a significant problem. Incidence of violence and patient risk factors are similar to what has been found previously for other ED staff. Understanding the prevalence of workplace violence as well as the related systems, environmental, and patient-based factors is essential for future prevention efforts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T14:49:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e0f462e2ceb4490daa402daf91488ec2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1936-900X 1936-9018 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T14:49:17Z |
| publishDate | 2016-09-01 |
| publisher | eScholarship Publishing, University of California |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Western Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-e0f462e2ceb4490daa402daf91488ec22022-12-21T19:37:00ZengeScholarship Publishing, University of CaliforniaWestern Journal of Emergency Medicine1936-900X1936-90182016-09-0117556757310.5811/westjem.2016.6.30446Workplace Violence and Harassment Against Emergency Medicine ResidentsBenjamin H. Schnapp0Abra L. Fant1Michael A. Gisondi2Anar D. Shah3Kaushal H. Shah4Benjamin H. Slovis5Christie A. Lech6Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Chicago, IllinoisNorthwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Chicago, IllinoisNorthwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Chicago, IllinoisMount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York, New YorkMount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York, New YorkMount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York, New York; Columbia University, Department of Biomedical Informatics, New York, New YorkNew York University School of Medicine, Bellevue Hospital Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, New York, New YorkIntroduction: Several studies have shown that workplace violence in the emergency department (ED) is common. Residents may be among the most vulnerable staff, as they have the least experience with these volatile encounters. The goal for this study was to quantify and describe acts of violence against emergency medicine (EM) residents by patients and visitors and to identify perceived barriers to safety. Methods: This cross-sectional survey study queried EM residents at multiple New York City hospitals. The primary outcome was the incidence of violence experienced by residents while working in the ED. The secondary outcomes were the subtypes of violence experienced by residents, as well as the perceived barriers to safety while at work. Results: A majority of residents (66%, 78/119) reported experiencing at least one act of physical violence during an ED shift. Nearly all residents (97%, 115/119) experienced verbal harassment, 78% (93/119) had experienced verbal threats, and 52% (62/119) reported sexual harassment. Almost a quarter of residents felt safe “Occasionally,” “Seldom” or “Never” while at work. Patient-based factors most commonly cited as contributory to violence included substance use and psychiatric disease. Conclusion: Self-reported violence against EM residents appears to be a significant problem. Incidence of violence and patient risk factors are similar to what has been found previously for other ED staff. Understanding the prevalence of workplace violence as well as the related systems, environmental, and patient-based factors is essential for future prevention efforts.http://escholarship.org/uc/item/3md9g1kzviolenceharassment |
| spellingShingle | Benjamin H. Schnapp Abra L. Fant Michael A. Gisondi Anar D. Shah Kaushal H. Shah Benjamin H. Slovis Christie A. Lech Workplace Violence and Harassment Against Emergency Medicine Residents Western Journal of Emergency Medicine violence harassment |
| title | Workplace Violence and Harassment Against Emergency Medicine Residents |
| title_full | Workplace Violence and Harassment Against Emergency Medicine Residents |
| title_fullStr | Workplace Violence and Harassment Against Emergency Medicine Residents |
| title_full_unstemmed | Workplace Violence and Harassment Against Emergency Medicine Residents |
| title_short | Workplace Violence and Harassment Against Emergency Medicine Residents |
| title_sort | workplace violence and harassment against emergency medicine residents |
| topic | violence harassment |
| url | http://escholarship.org/uc/item/3md9g1kz |
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