I’m not sure I fully appreciated the dangers associated with working in a hospital until Status Solutions started designing and implementing technology solutions for healthcare organizations, but my eldest daughter deciding to become a nurse is what really brought the realization home. I worry about her being exposed to a contagious disease or getting stuck with a contaminated needle not to mention the level of stress and anxiety that just comes with the job. Then there’s violence.
Most hospital violence occurs in emergency rooms, waiting rooms, psychiatric wards and geriatric units, and most physical violence is perpetuated by patients and their families and visitors, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Given the life-and-death nature of the healthcare business and the resulting emotional stress for patients and their loved ones, incidents that could compromise staff safety are bound to occur.
While my daughter and her industry colleagues accept some level of risk to their personal safety, they still expect their employers to institute appropriate protective measures. Mobile duress can provide clinicians and staff with a discreet yet constant means of alerting others when help is needed. And with accurate location data also transmitted to security and/or other clinicians and personnel on duty, response time can be further reduced. Read more about mobile duress and staff safety and security in hospitals in my column at Executive Insight.
