Right Click Here to download the mp3 file, Vulnerability Risk Assessment

Right Click Here to download the mp3 file, Awareness of Risk Factors

Right Click Here to download the mp3 file, General Safety Measures

Merion Publications Inc. is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association (No. 008-0-07), an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. Merion Publications Inc. is also approved as a provider by the California Board of Registered Nursing (No. 13230) and by the Florida Board of Nursing (No. 3298).

The goal of this continuing education offering is to educate nurses about the benefits of vulnerability risk assessments. After reading this article, you will be able to:

1. Discuss the importance of vulnerability assessment.
2. Describe internal and external vulnerability assessment.
3. Identify general safety measures.

According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, healthcare providers are at risk for violence-related injury or death.¹ Further, contemporary research based on the Occupational Health and Safety Act notes healthcare workers face an increased risk of work-related assaults.²

These attacks can stem from several factors, including:

• the prevalence of handguns and other weapons among patients, their families or friends;

• the increasing use of hospitals by police and the criminal justice system for criminal holds and the care of acutely disturbed, violent individuals;

• the increasing number of acute and chronic mentally ill patients being released from hospitals without follow-up care;

• patients having the right to refuse medicine and who can no longer be hospitalized involuntarily unless they pose an immediate threat to themselves or others;

• the availability of drugs or money at hospitals, clinics and pharmacies, making them likely robbery targets;

• factors such as the unrestricted movement of the public in clinics and hospitals and long waits in emergency or clinic areas that lead to client frustration over an inability to obtain needed services promptly;

• the increasing presence of gang members, drug or alcohol abusers, trauma patients, or distraught family members;

• low staffing levels during times of increased activity, such as mealtimes, visiting times and when staff are transporting patients;

• isolated work with clients during examinations or treatment;

• solo work, often in remote locations with no backup or way to get assistance, such as communication devices or alarm systems;

• lack of staff training in recognizing and managing escalating hostile and assaultive behavior; and

• poorly lit parking areas.

Based on this significant number of risk factors, hospitals and their employees can benefit from conducting a vulnerability risk assessment of their regular work environment. Such an assessment can highlight unit-specific risks, which can help identify practical methods for safety enhancement and violence prevention.

For example, even though great strides have been made in approaches and outcomes dealing with angry or agitated patients and their families, it is still typically disturbing to deal with such situations and may result in nurses becoming fearful and perhaps escalating the situation.

Additionally, once the escalating situation has ended, there is typically no examination or subsequent strategizing regarding how to prevent or manage the next similar situation.

Conducting a vulnerability assessment can enhance awareness, decrease future risk and promote safety.