August 11, 2022 by Natalie Cochran
Crime Victim Unit – Supporting Survivors of Healthcare Workplace Violence
Workplace violence (WPV) is any act or threat of violence, harassment, intimidation, or disruptive behavior that occurs in a workplace. Hospitals and health systems have vigorous protocols to detect violence against their staff. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the health care field has seen an increase in workplace violence and studies show rates will not be receding anytime soon.
Recent data shows 44 percent of nurses reported experiencing physical violence and 68 percent reported experiencing verbal abuse during the pandemic. Violence against health care employees is more common than most people realize. Violence can cause physical and psychological injury for health care workers and can make it more difficult to provide quality care to patients.
Unreported Attacks
Many health care workers do not press charges (only three percent) because they chose this field to help people. Nurses and other staff have said most violent attacks go unreported because they understand the patients or patients’ families and friends are acting out due to their emergency or situation.
Also, many health care workers feel they will suffer consequences if they report violence against them, such as their hours being cut or disciplined for refusing care to the patient who abused them.
Lone Star Legal Aid’s Crime Victim Unit can help survivors of workplace violence. If you or a loved one are a victim of workplace violence, you can apply for free legal services by calling 1-800-733-8394 or by visiting our website at www.lonestarlegal.org. For more resources, visit the Texas Crime Victim Legal Assistance Network.
Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy on behalf of low-income and underserved populations. Lone Star Legal Aid serves the millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines that live in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties of southwest Arkansas. Lone Star Legal Aid focuses its resources on maintaining, enhancing, and protecting income and economic stability; preserving housing; improving outcomes for children; establishing and sustaining family safety and stability, health, and well‐being; and helping populations with special vulnerabilities, like those who have disabilities, or who are elderly, homeless, or have limited English language skills. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at www.lonestarlegal.org
Media contact: media@lonestarlegal.org
