Physical assault of nurses and other healthcare personnel has become a huge problem for hospitals. Taking action to boost hospital security through the use of video security cameras and other measures can help to improve both staff retention AND patient care.
In this article we provide background research on the issue of violence against hospital staff and how video security systems can help to address this problem. First, we’ll provide some statistics and then take a look at a study on the use of video security cameras in hospital settings.
It’s important to note that video cameras are being used in hospital settings for more than security purposes. Hospitals are increasingly beginning to incorporate video security cameras into patient care monitoring systems, to help nursing staff more efficiently monitor patients and improve patient care.
Hospital Staff Are Concerned About Their Safety
Recent surveys of emergency room physicians and nurses reveal that half—or more—of ER doctors and nurses have been the subject of violent attacks while on duty. Both groups say the violence is harmful to and interferes with patient care. Source: American College of Emergency Physicians and the Emergency Nurses Association.
A different survey of hospital nurses conducted during 2021 found that 44% of the surveyed nurses reported physical attack while on the job between the months of February and May 2020 and 67% reported verbal attacks while working their hospital shifts. This study was published in 2021 in the journal Workplace Health & Safety. Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34344236/
Other survey data of nurses and hospital-based physicians report similar statistics and concerns about working in an environment where they are frequently the target of verbal and (often) physical abuse.
In September 2021, CBS News took an in-depth look at the increase in violence against nurses and healthcare providers during the pandemic era.
The American Nurses Association recently published a video featuring real stories from nurses to help spread the word about how violent acts, verbal abuse, and threats against nurses is impacting the profession and patient care.
It’s not just the hospital workers who are concerned about violence against them while delivering medical care to patients.
Data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and analyzed by OSHA shows that healthcare workers are at much greater risk of workplace violence compared to US workplace and industry settings in general. Based on data from 2014, the rate is 8.2 incidents per 10,000 workers for the healthcare and social services industry compared to 1.7 incidents per 10,000 workers across the whole private sector. Source: https://www.regulations.gov/document/OSHA-2016-0014-0001
Five years later, 2019 BLS data analyzed by OSHA shows some improvement but the situation is not much better: 5.5 injuries per 100 workers vs. half that for the private sector. Based on anecdotal reports cited by various hospital worker groups, the risks to hospital workers seems to have worsened in the COVID pandemic era.
The problem is so acute that OSHA has developed specific programs and guidelines to address workplace violence in hospital and other healthcare facilities. More information about this OSHA initiative is available here: https://www.osha.gov/hospitals/workplace-violence
Workplace Safety is a Concern of Both OSHA and the Joint Commission
The Joint Commission (which is the accrediting body that establishes standards that hospitals must meet) requires hospitals meet defined safety standards to be in compliance. OSHA requires hospital management to develop and maintain programs known as “safety and health management systems.”
Both the Joint Commission and OSHA require hospitals to take steps to protect patient and staff health and safety. This safety requirement encompasses more that safety in the context of delivery of medical care to include all aspects of safety—including prevention of incidents of violence. Both OSHA and Joint Commission requires hospitals to capture data so that the scope of physical and verbal violence against hospital workers is better understood. And both OSHA and the Join Commission require hospitals to analyze data to detect trends and proactively implement solutions to mitigate problems revealed by the data.
Particularly relevant to the value of video security systems, the Joint Commission requires that hospitals to:
- Report and investigate “security incidents involving patients, staff, or others within its facilities. (EC.04.01.01, EP 6).
- “[T]ake action to minimize or eliminate identified safety and security risks in the physical environment.” (EC.02.01.01, EP 3).
Source: https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/2.2_SHMS-JCAHO_comparison_508.pdf
Video security cameras in all areas of the hospital premises can help to reduce the rate of physical and verbal assaults, provide evidence necessary to prosecute those who engage in assault, and also help hospital managers to better understand where additional security measures should be implemented.
Violence against healthcare workers is such a big problem that OSHA has been working on new rules to require greater data capture and reporting on workplace violence by hospitals and other healthcare providers. Source: https://www.regulations.gov/document/OSHA-2016-0014-0001
In February 2021, the Workplace Violence Prevention for HealthCare and Social Service Workers Act was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. This bill would require OSHA to develop enforceable standards to be imposed on hospitals and other healthcare employers to address workplace violence in these settings. The American Nursing Association endorsed this bill, which has now been passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, where it received bipartisan support. The bill has not yet been passed by the U.S. Senate. Source: https://ana.aristotle.com/SitePages/WorkplaceViolence.aspx
Video Cameras In Hospitals Are Part of the Solution
A research paper by Quigley, Votruba & Kaminski published in 2019 in the Journal of Nursing Care Quality focuses on the use of what they call “Patient-Engaged Video Surveillance” (PEVS), a system where trained monitoring staff use a designated “workstation to monitor multiple patients simultaneously” (p. 214).
The PEVS video monitoring system was set up to focus on patient care needs, but is also used to help preemptively identify conditions where the behavior of a patient (or visitor) indicates a situation where some potential for aggression is unfolding. Data captured by PEVS monitoring is used to help with prevention, hospital quality improvement and compliance reporting.
In the Quigley, et al, study, they used 21 months of data collected by a PEVS system that had been implemented in 73 hospitals. Monitoring staff reported that 7,915 had been prevented “by either verbally redirecting the patient or by triggering the PEVS alarm system.” (p. 2018). Through the video monitoring system, 221 specific patients were identified as displaying abusive behavior towards nursing staff and the monitoring personnel were able to focus on these patients to more quickly respond to incidents to reduce threat level and escalation.
Another clinical-based study (published in 2022) evaluated the effectiveness of “camera-assisted observation” in an acute-care facility where many of the patients suffered from dementia and/or immobility. The results were positive. Study Source: Kollerup, Tolstrup & Laursen (2022). Camera-assisted nursing observation of restless patients in an acute care setting, a multi-method feasibility study. Nursing Open.
Security Cameras Offer Value in Patient Care, As Well
A number of recent studies provide positive data on using video monitoring systems to detect and reduce the number of patient falls in hospital and other in-patient facilities. One example: A study published in 2018 analyzed data after 15 video monitoring units were implemented to detect and prevent patient falls in an inpatient rehab facility.
Links to many of these other studies on using cameras to reduce incidents of patient falls in healthcare facilities can be found here.
How Can Vulcan Security Systems Help Your Alabama Hospital?
Vulcan Security Systems is Alabama’s leading integrator of Mobotix video security cameras. We serve industry and business customers—including healthcare providers—across Alabama.
Mobotix, our preferred provider, offers a range of IP video security cameras are German-engineered and German-manufactured and feature the highest level of security available. Mobotix cameras are in use in hospitals and other healthcare facilities around the world. Download Mobotix brochure on healthcare applications in PDF.
Contact Vulcan Security Systems today for a free initial consultation.
Other Resources
CBS News report on increase in violence against healthcare workers.
Video by the American Nursing Association
