More than three years into the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers have remained at the center of multiple conversations. The city of New York used to bang pots and pans and applaud every day to celebrate and thank healthcare workers during the first several months of the pandemic. Both countries around the world and states within the U.S. have attempted — some successfully — to increase the pay of healthcare workers, especially nurses.
These efforts, unfortunately, do not solve the problem of workplace violence. Healthcare workers face potential violence from multiple fronts: peers, patients and visitors. Security leaders have to create dedicated plans to ensure workers remain safe while on the job. Hospitals across the U.S. have installed safety measures including wearable panic buttons and enhanced weapons detection on top of hiring additional security personnel. In addition, healthcare facilities have worked to increase employee training.