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Posts about Healthcare

The Silent Safety Risk: Lateral Violence Among Staff

The Silent Safety Risk: Lateral Violence Among Staff featured image

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...

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Is Your Safety Culture Missing a Verbal Protocol?

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...

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Preventing Workplace Violence Starts with Predictability

Preventing Workplace Violence Starts with Predictability Featured Image

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...

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The First 10 Seconds of Safety: Why Initial Contact Matters

The First 10 Seconds of Safety: Why Initial Contact Matters

In healthcare settings, first impressions aren't just about customer service—they're critical safety moments that set the tone for everything that follows. Those initial 10 seconds of contact between a healthcare provider and a patient or visitor can determine whether an interaction proceeds smoothly or escalates into conflict.

As we observe National Safety Month this June, it's worth examining...

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Verbal Gateway Behaviors: How Sharp Words Can Lead to Sharp Objects

Verbal Gateway Behaviors: How Sharp Words Can Lead to Sharp Objects

When most healthcare organizations discuss safety, the conversation typically revolves around physical hazards—needle sticks, patient falls, medication errors, and other tangible risks that can be counted, measured, and tracked. These physical risks are essential to address, but they represent only part of the safety equation. 

The less visible threats—sharp words, emotional attacks, and verbal...

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The Overlooked Link Between Communication and Safety

The Overlooked Link Between Communication and Safety Featured Image

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.

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Safety Isn't a Department—It's an Interdepartmental Discipline

Safety Isn't a Department—It's an Interdepartmental Discipline featured image

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...

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Beyond Wellness Programs: Practical Ways to Protect Staff Mental Health

Beyond Wellness Programs: Practical Ways to Protect Staff Mental Health Featured Image

As Mental Health Awareness Month prompts reflection on workplace well-being initiatives, many healthcare organizations will highlight their wellness programs—offerings like mindfulness sessions, resilience workshops, and stress management training. While these have value, they often place the burden of mental health maintenance squarely on individual staff rather than addressing systemic factors...

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Crisis Fatigue: Protecting Staff During Escalating Patient Encounters

Crisis Fatigue: Protecting Staff During Escalating Patient Encounters Featured Image

In healthcare settings, managing escalating patient encounters isn't just about preventing physical harm—it's equally about protecting the psychological well-being of staff who face these challenges repeatedly. The accumulation of high-stress encounters creates "crisis fatigue"—a state of emotional, physical, and cognitive depletion that undermines both staff well-being and patient care quality.

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