Nurses embody compassion, empathy, and love in their everyday interactions with patients, making them an indispensable part of healthcare. However, their safety is often compromised in the line of duty, particularly in today's climate of heightened tensions and workplace violence. As a former U.S. Marine Corps veteran and someone who grew up in a violent environment, I’ve seen firsthand the...
Posts about Personal Protection
Grabs are dangerous! Whether the attacker is naked or otherwise
The real danger is not knowing what will happen after you are grabbed. Healthcare environments personal, private, and confined spaces, so being grabbed is a common danger all healthcare professionals face. Click here to read an example: ER nurse at The Villages hospital attacked by naked man
I can’t believe you bit my ear off!
Don't Lose When You Are on The Ground
In Healthcare the areas you work in are closed and confined spaces. Getting tripped, pushed, or tackled to the ground, or grabbed in the front or behind and pushed into furniture or equipment, or grabbed from any direction, thereby limiting your ability to escape can end badly.
Does Everyone Know You Are In Danger?
In Healthcare, as in most professional settings, people typically speak in a low volume to respect others needs for privacy, concentration, and communication.Wrist Grabs--More Common And More dangerous than you may think!
When an attacker grabs you, it creates a situation that is dangerous on so many levels. Grabs can quickly escalate to a fight, including the use of weapons. Once grabbed, the victim is severely and instantly limited in their ability to escape or defend.
All grabs are dangerous due to all the unknowns that may follow, meaning what might come next in the form of a follow-up attack. During any...
When you cannot breathe - do this!
Problem:
People can deal with hunger for days and thirst for hours, but we can only manage being deprived of our next breath of air for a couple of minutes. That is why smothering sends a person so quickly into a blind panic, whenever they are forced to fight for their next precious breath of air.
Unlike shooting from a distance or even stabbing during a sudden assault, smothering is a very...
You've Been Grabbed! Now What? Why being hopeful can get you killed
No work is more personal and intimate than healthcare and working inside a hospital means you are always up close and personal with your customers. In fact, healthcare workers are so close to their work that managing their personal safety comes second to their patients needs. If you are unable to manage your distance and positioning, as say in our training, then you are more than likely going...How Do You Train-the-Trainer?
Can I die if Someone Spits on Me?
Ever been spat on? Nothing can change the conversation like spitting on someone. It's gross, disgusting, inexcusable, illegal, and perhaps the highest display of disrespect that someone can make towards another human being. Make no mistake about it, spitting on someone is an assault, just the same as punching or kicking them. And the response to any assault should be consistent and in...