Remember, Providing a ‘Safe Work Environment’ Includes Reducing Risk for Violence Against Staff

Remember, Providing a ‘Safe Work Environment’ Includes Reducing Risk for Violence Against Staff Maintaining an urgent care operation where patients and staff alike feel comfortable and safe is as essential as providing top-notch care. If the public or your team don’t feel safe, why would they choose you instead of one of your many competitors? A hospital in Ohio found out the hard way that making sure the place is up to fire code and the security system works as intended just isn’t enough, however. As reported by Becker’s Hospital Review, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the facility for safety violations after staff suffered concussions, lacerations, contusions, and sprains in violent confrontations with patients. In addition to physical violence, however, it’s the urgent care operator’s responsibility to minimize risk that team members will be subjected to sexual harassment in all its forms. JUCM published an article identifying just how frequently such incidents occur—and what you can do to protect your employees. Read #MeToo in the Urgent Care Center: When the Perpetrator Is a Patient in our archive right now. In addition, like all businesses and places of employment, urgent care centers have the option of banning patients who exhibit threatening or uncouth behavior; read When an Urgent Care Can Legally Fire a Patient for more details on that.