Healthcare leaders track countless metrics – patient satisfaction scores, length of stay, readmission rates, and financial indicators. Yet one of the most critical metrics often remains unmeasured: safety-related behaviors and perceptions among staff and patients.
When we discuss safety in healthcare, conversations typically center around clinical outcomes and patient harm events. While these...
When healthcare organizations assess workplace safety risks, their focus typically lands on patient-to-staff violence, environmental hazards, or procedural errors. Yet one of the most pervasive safety threats often goes unaddressed in traditional safety initiatives: lateral violence—the disrespect, hostility, and aggression that occurs between colleagues.
As we observe National Safety Month this...
Most healthcare organizations have meticulously developed protocols for nearly every physical safety concern. There are specific steps to follow for needle sticks, detailed procedures for patient falls, and precise methods for handling hazardous materials. When it comes to verbal abuse, however, many institutions offer little more than general advice to "stay calm" or "be professional."
As we...
In healthcare environments, unpredictability is often the spark that ignites workplace violence. When patients, families, or even staff don't know what to expect—or when responses to similar situations vary dramatically—tension rises and the potential for conflict increases exponentially.
As we observe National Safety Month this June, it's worth exploring how consistency in communication serves...
Poor communication doesn't just cause confusion—it creates risk. In healthcare settings, communication breakdowns contribute to approximately 70% of sentinel events, according to The Joint Commission. Yet despite this clear connection, many organizations still treat communication and safety as separate domains, addressing them through different training programs and departmental responsibilities.
In many healthcare organizations, safety is often compartmentalized, relegated to a specific department or committee that meets periodically to review incidents and update policies. This approach, while systematic, misses a crucial truth: safety isn't a department or a monthly meeting—it's a behavioral discipline that every employee practices or neglects dozens of times each day.
As we observe...
Enjoy this excerpt from one of our published books.
Enjoy this excerpt from one of our published books.
After six hours of unloading her stuff and setting up her new dorm room, Amanda was exhausted. She was super excited that she finally had her own desk, her own bed, and her own space. She looked over at her laptop and iPod and noticed that her music download was finally complete. As she...
The frenzy of holiday shopping is about to begin, and retailers are ramping up for their Black Friday events. This means those in loss prevention are preparing themselves for what often is viewed as a stress-filled time of year. Whether you are working a uniformed or plain clothes position, proper preparation will help reduce that stress and make the holidays more enjoyable for you and the...
