Karla Eischens Column: Creating A Safe And Secure Environment

Workplace violence is a complex issue in healthcare. It's an ongoing thing that we don't want to talk about, but we have to

Incidents of violence against medical workers are not new, but they are deepening. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that between 2011 and 2018, the rate of injuries resulting from intentional violent attacks on medical professionals increased by 63 percent.

Unfortunately, this trend has only accelerated since the pandemic began. According to the 2022 American College of Emergency Physicians survey, 85% of emergency physicians reported an increase in violence in the past five years. Two-thirds had been physically assaulted in the past year, by 98% of patients.

Three out of ten attacks on physicians also involve a patient's family member or friend. Since 2018, the number of doctors absent from work due to injuries has increased by 50%.

Sanford Bemidji, like many healthcare organizations, is experiencing an increase in violent behavior in our facilities. In 2022 alone, our staff reported 412 incidents of verbal and physical violence. These incidents affect the physical and mental health of workers as well as the safety of those around them.

At Sanford Bemidji, we are committed to working with our employees to reduce workplace violence and related harm. Completed safety risk assessments for all Sanford Bemidji departments and areas. These policies are reviewed annually by an interdisciplinary team comprised of administrative and frontline staff from our environmental and employee safety committees.

Both committees follow a framework developed by the Minnesota Hospital Association, Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Nurses Association and the Joint Commission to identify workplace hazards, assess risk and provide controls for a safe environment.

The Police and Behavioral Health Task Force meets monthly with the Beltrame County Sheriff's Department and the Bemidji Police Department. These discussions identify the dangers of violent behavior as well as best practices that will reduce the risk of violence.

Our Environmental and Employee Safety Committee continues to reevaluate the use of surveillance cameras, door locks with card readers, panic alarms, patient restraints, and other safety devices when necessary. In the coming months, Sanford will test a passive weapons detection system to see if it can be deployed at hospital and clinic entrances.

In addition to having a 24/7 security team trained in the use of handcuffs and stun guns (DEC, Taser), our Behavioral Health Rapid Response Team is also available to provide immediate assistance to staff working with aggressive or agitated hospital patients. whose behavior is increasing. This team consists of individuals trained in de-escalation techniques, each of whom is responsible for helping to de-escalate the situation.

Annual information training is provided to all employees on preventing workplace violence and managing aggressive behavior. Staff are trained to watch for signs of potentially violent and aggressive situations by recognizing agitated behaviors such as self-reports, pacing, swearing, yelling, and defensive body language. Staff also discuss patients/visitors at high risk of violence and potential patient care situations through daily ward safety meetings and patient transfers.

As part of our safety culture, managers expect and all employees will report this behavior to our safety team, employee health or through our incident reporting system and to the authorities if they so choose. Support and resources are provided to staff members through our Employee Assistance Program, which provides 24/7 access to counseling services, peer education for nurses and physicians, and comprehensive professional support services.

Creating a safe and secure environment is an extensive and ongoing process. We do all this to ensure the safety of our staff, patients and visitors. Hospital stays or clinic visits can be stressful. The best strategy to reduce workplace violence is to prevent it in the first place. We can all help reduce workplace violence against healthcare workers. Please be kind and patient with our staff as we are here to help you.

If you witness violent behavior or feel threatened, please notify a Sanford Health employee immediately. Anyone can contact Bemidji Patient Care with concerns, complaints, or requests for assistance regarding hospital policies and procedures. Call (218) 333-5996 or email

Carla Eichens, RPH, is president and CEO of Sanford Health's Bemidji region in northern Minnesota. You can contact her at (218) 333-5264 or karla.eischens@sanfordhealth.org.