POLICY AND PROCEDURE
TITLE PAGE 1 OF 4
WORKPLACE VIOLENCE
DEPARTMENT DATE EFFECTIVE
HUMAN RESOURCES JANUARY 21, 2008
PREPARED BY
BELINDA RITTENHOUSE, DIR., HUMAN RESOURCES
DATE REVISED
POLICY# : ORIGINAL DATE
HR-2390 JANUARY 17, 2008
REVISED AND SUPERSEDES:
Violence Prevention policy # SFTY-1078, with an original date of February 24, 1998 and revisions of
August 14, 2001 and January 23, 2006 prepared by Heidi Cook and Kathy Isaac.
POLICY:
The Dr. John Warner Hospital is committed to providing a safe and secure workplace and an environment free from physical violence, threats and intimidation. Employees are expected to report to work to perform their jobs in a nonviolent manner. DJWH believes that violence is a form of serious conduct that undermines the integrity of the employment relationship and will commit to a zero-tolerance policy.
Conduct and behaviors of physical violence, threats or intimidation by an employee may result in disciplinary action up to and including discharge, and/or other appropriate action.
DJWH will not permit employment-based retaliation against anyone who, in good faith, brings a complaint of workplace violence or who speaks as a witness in the investigation of a complaint of workplace violence.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
1.
Staff, volunteers, and patients have a right to be treated with respect and consideration.
2.
Workplace violence may include strangers, co-workers, customers, patients, visitors or personal relations.
3.
Disruptive behavior is behavior which disturbs, interferes with or prevents normal work functions or activities (e.g. yelling, using profanity, waving arms/fists, verbal abuse to others, refusing reasonable request for identification).
DEFINITIONS
Workplace violence is any physical assault, threatening behavior or verbally abusive remarks that are made in the workplace and/or effect the workplace behavior of an employee which includes but is not limited to:

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1.
Verbal Abuse: Any verbal expression issued with the intent of creating fear or intimidation in another individual, or group of individuals, or verbal remarks or comments expressed in a loud, harsh or threatening tone of voice or in a joking manner with the workplace, or comments made in an unusually loud and/or disrespectful manner without regard to proper behavior/etiquette.
2.
Physical Abuse: Any intentional movement of the body, which may include touching, gestures, pushing, striking, stalking or any unwanted intrusion of “reasonable space” of an employee. Any intentional use of any object toward an individual.
3.
Creating A Hostile Work Environment: Any intentional nonphysical action or language that can be considered intimidating, or harassing with the intent of creating an environment that has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s performance or where behaviors create a hostile or threatening environment.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
1.
Management: Management will foster an environment that is safe and free from workplace violence and will take action immediately to reduce the effects of workplace violence and or verbal or physical abuse. Management will contact the Director of Human Resources for direction regarding the management of workplace violence incidents.
2.
Employee: Employees will conduct themselves in such a way to reduce the possibility of any conflicts or acts that would create a violent, abusive or unsafe workplace environment for themselves or others. Employees will notify the Director of Human Resources of workplace violence incidents which have occurred on or off-site that has the potential of impacting the work environment.
Employees will remove him/herself from any situation that may result in workplace violence. This means that if confronted with a potential situation involving workplace violence, an employee must make a serious attempt to retreat from the situation and report to the Director of Human Resources.
STAFF:
All Exempt, Non-Exempt & Contracted Service Agents
EQUIPMENT, FORMS & LOCATIONS:
Service Concern Report Form, Form #764 located on the Intranet and attached to policy.
PROCEDURE:
1.
No person, other than a licensed law enforcement officer in performance of his/her duties is permitted to carry a weapon or any object that can reasonably be used as a weapon on hospital premises unless the object is necessary in performance of his/her duties (i.e. EMS style knife).
2.
Behavior or conduct that threatens, intimidates or coerces an employee, customer , or a member of the public should be reported as soon as possible to the: a) Department Manager b) Administrator on-call c) Risk Manager d) Director of Human Resources
3.
State clearly to patients, visitors and/or employees that disruptive behavior is not permitted or tolerated (e.g. “Please calm down or you will be asked to leave”.)

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4.
If a visitor is disruptive to the point that the visitor’s behavior interferes with the care or comfort of any patient or is abusive toward anyone, the visitor may be asked to leave.
5.
When an individual is actively disruptive, or the potential for disruptive behavior is identified, employees should: a) Avoid confronting the individual, if possible b) Leave the area c) Contact the police department d) Contact the Administrator on-call e) Document the incident on a Service Concern Report Form #734 (This report is to be submitted to the Risk Manager who will in turn forward to the Director of Human Resources)
6.
Whenever possible, the Administrator on-call should be notified prior to the removal of any individual from hospital premises.
7.
An employee who feels they are in physical danger from a patient should remove themselves from the proximity of the patient, notify other staff, and/or call for additional assistance.
8.
Employees should promptly report and record disruptive incidents and suggest ways to reduce or eliminate risks.
VIOLENCE WARNING SIGNS
Expression of irrational thoughts
Verbal anger or frustration
Loud, profane language
Pacing
Threatening gestures, clenching fist
Signs of drug or alcohol abuse
Presence of a weapon
EMPLOYEE RESPONSE
Take all threats seriously
Present a calm, caring attitude
Don’t match threats or give orders
Acknowledge the person’s feelings
Keep a safe distance
Don’t isolate yourself
Keep an open path for exiting
PREVENTION:
1.
Enforce visitor policies.
2.
Provide timely information to people waiting in line or in waiting areas.
3.
Recognize escalating behavior, warning signs or situations that may lead to assaults.
4.
Avoid working alone in isolated areas.
EMPLOYEES:
1.
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available for employees experiencing or witnessing assaults and other violent incidents.
2.
Injured staff should receive prompt treatment and psychological evaluation whenever an assault takes place, regardless of severity.
3.
No employee who reports or experiences workplace violence will face reprisal.

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4.
An employee or a member of management determined to be responsible for threats of, or actual workplace violence will be subject to prompt disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
DOCUMENTATION:
All appropriate documentation will be provided on the Service Concern Report Form, Form #734
COPIES SENT TO:
ADMINISTRATION - ORIGINAL
ALL DEPARTMENTS
NEW – January 17, 2008
______________________________________
DIR. OF HUMAN RESOURCES DATE
______________________________
CEO DATE
DATE
REVIEWED ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ ________