A recent survey commissioned by the International Healthcare Security & Safety (IHSS) Foundation reported that heavy violent crimes have increased from 2012 to 2013, according to an article on the FacilityCare website.

Hospitals need to continually train the members of their healthcare family to be aware of warning signs of violent or disruptive behavior before it occurs, IHSS Foundation president Steve Nibbelink said in the article.

“Also, healthcare leadership and stakeholders need to take an active role in the education, training, policy and implementation to better safeguard the people and assets of the facility.”

The stress associated with needing to visit a hospital is blamed for some of the increase in violence, but better reporting is also believed to be a factor.

 “I believe some of this increase can be attributed to more reporting of assaults to security. Nurses are getting better at reporting patient assaults to security and not accepting that patient slap, pinch or punch as ‘part of the job,’” Nibbelink said. 

Read the article.