Security Risks in a Post-Pandemic World

The pandemic has changed the way life works, both inside and outside of hospitals. One area that is often overlooked is security. New security risks have cropped up in healthcare facilities since the pandemic began, and old ones have become increasingly problematic. In 2021 alone, there were 10,000 reported workplace violence incidents in New Jersey hospitals. Nurses, who are the most at risk of being victims of workplace violence, are also overburdened and understaffed — a situation the pandemic only exacerbated. Bolstering security in hospitals not only helps prevent workplace violence, but it also helps ease the burden on nurses.

Visitor violence vs patient violence

A recent report indicated that “violent crime in hospitals was up more than 20% in 2020. Assaults were up nearly 30%.” Despite increased awareness and more stringent visitor policies in hospitals during the pandemic, many hospitals nevertheless saw an uptick in violence. It can be argued that this uptick is a direct result of heightened emotions and resulting outbursts brought on by stressful events.

According to a study published in the Journal of Nursing Management, “Violence against nurses by patients and visitors in the emergency department is primarily an occurrence of interpersonal violence based on the working relationship, whereby the patient and/or visitor becomes an assailant, and a nurse becomes a target in the absence of capable guardianship.”

Violence in the healthcare setting, whether from visitors, patients, or staff, is a significant challenge that must be thwarted with advanced security technology and processes.

Burden on nurses

Nurses are some of the most important, yet overworked people in the healthcare industry. Nursing shortages continue to plague U.S. hospitals. With fewer resources and ever-increasing workloads, some nurses have raised the alarm and launched strikes in protest to call attention to the overwhelming amount of work nurses are expected to do with inadequate compensation and support.

As one recent report noted, “Violence in the healthcare setting plays a role in the nursing shortage, the ever-present threat of emotional or physical abuse, adding to an already stressful environment.” As the threat of violence looms in healthcare settings, nurses must manage not only their specific patient care role, but also the enduring physical and emotional stress. Unfortunately, this task can become unbearable, pushing many individuals to seek alternative career opportunities. For those who remain in the field, the persistent stress and overwork can lead to a degradation in patient care, an increase in patient readmissions, and more.

Protecting frontline healthcare workers is imperative, not only for their own mental and physical safety, but also for the safety and well-being of our communities. The key is improved security and response.

Protecting our healthcare teams with greater security

Violence, burnout, staffing shortages, unnecessary errors — these challenges can be reduced or avoided with the help of greater security measures. Adopting improved visitor management policies, supported by technology, is a logical first step toward improving the overall safety and security of patients and staff, but that’s not the only option. Other healthcare security technologies and processes include:

  • Access control

  • Visitor management

  • Advanced weapons screening

  • Real-time location services (RTLS)

  • Duress buttons or badges

  • Video monitoring and surveillance

  • Radio dispatch staff communications

  • Alarms, both audible and silent

  • Team training

The healthcare industry is vital to the health and well-being of our communities, but the people comprising this essential resource are suffering. With the right security, healthcare teams can reduce the threats to their physical and mental health, as well as improve their overall experience, their ability to provide exceptional patient care, and more. Safety is a basic human need. Security systems and processes will meet that need.

To learn more about integrated security and life safety solutions for your healthcare facility, contact sgranillo@TRLSystems.com.

Gary Chavarria