Joint Commission issues new Sentinel Event Alert on violence against healthcare workers

Editor's Note

The Joint Commission on April 17 announced that it had issued a new Sentinel Event Alert 59: Physical and verbal violence against healthcare workers.

The Joint Commission issued the alert during Workplace Violence Awareness Month to help healthcare workers in hospitals and other healthcare settings recognize violence from patients and visitors, handle it more effectively, and address the aftermath.

The Alert provides the Joint Commission’s related standards, references, and resources−including those from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Crisis Prevention Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

A downloadable infographic is available for healthcare organizations to print and share.