New report sheds light on emergency room violence

For most of us, a hospital emergency department is a place to get immediate help

But, as a disturbing new nationwide survey of ER workers reveals, the emergency room can be a dangerous place for people trying to help us.

A nationwide survey of ER workers conducted by the American College of Emergency Physicians highlights a problem emergency room workers have faced for a long time - physical violence.

"I think, unfortunately, assaults happen in the emergency room every day," said Dr. Ali Raja, the vice-chair of emergency medicine at Boston's Mass General Hospital.

What Dr. Raja has experienced himself as an ER doctor during his career is backed up by the survey.

Nearly half of those who responded to the study reported suffering attacks in the ER and a staggering 71 percent said they have witnessed such an attack.

"I've been assaulted," said Dr. Raja. "I don't know of a single emergency room nurse, physician, tech, administrative personnel who hasn't either witnessed or been part of an assault in an emergency department. By far, the most common reason why we have patients assault others in the emergency department is they have some primary psychiatric illness. And I feel for them."

According to the survey, 44 percent of ER workers reported the nature of the most recent assault they suffered was getting hit or slapped, while 30 percent reported being spit on, 28 percent reported being punched, 27 percent reported being kicked and 6 percent said they were bitten by a patient.

ER workers said that, most recently, 97 percent of the time the assault came from a patient, while 28 percent said they've been assaulted by a patient's friend or family member.

You don't have to look too far back to find recent examples of such violence.

In June 2017, Southbridge ER nurse Elise Wilson made headlines after a patient who had come in for treatment stabbed her at the Harrington Hospital's emergency room.

"She was just doing her job, and did nothing to provoke that," said Dr. Raja. "And so we are torn between trying to protect ourselves from an event like that but then quickly see the patient with the heart attack or the stroke or who might get really sick if we don't see them quickly."

The study also revealed an overwhelming number of ER workers nationwide, 77 percent, believe emergency room physical assaults are harming patient care.

At MGH, a full-time police force, plus constant training, helps reduce the risk of attacks.

"The nurses spend much more time with the patients than the doctors do," said Dr. Raja. "They are often the ones who get assaulted, and the police officers, the security officers, they often throw themselves in between the patient or the nurse and doctor, so they take the first hit."

However, Dr. Raja says he would like to see stricter laws with tougher penalties for people who try to attack those trying to help them in the ER.

Dr. Raja says these attacks put ER workers in a very difficult position, where they are trying to help their patients, but at the same time, trying to look out for their own safety too.

"I think there just has to be some consequences when patients attacks their nurses and doctors," said Dr. Raja.

Cox Media Group