Description:

Workplace Violence has escalated over the past 15 years, especially in healthcare. The pandemic has placed significant stress on the entire healthcare system. Unfortunately, in some situations, patients, visitors, and family members have attacked healthcare staff and put at risk the workforce’s ability to provide care.

Hospitals and health systems have long had robust protocols to detect and deter violence against their team members. Since the onset of the pandemic, however, violence against hospital employees has markedly increased. 

The Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have played crucial roles in addressing workplace violence or threats occurring at a workplace that can include verbal, non-verbal, written, or physical aggression, intimidating, harassing, or humiliating words or actions in healthcare systems. CMS mandates that healthcare facilities receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding comply with specific regulations, such as developing Violence Prevention Programs.

In November 2022, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) issued a memo regarding workplace safety addressing care in a safe environment. On July 1, 2023, The Joint Commission’s updated standards on Workplace Violence became effective. These standards included requirements for monitoring, reports, and investigations.

The webinar will focus on the workplace violence that serves consequences for the entire healthcare system.

Areas Covered:

• Overall information on The Joint Commission Workplace Violence Standards and work place violence definition. .
• Identifying the rising incidents of the workplace in healthcare.
• Discuss TJC Standards – Environment of Care, Leadership Duties, Human Resources.
• Guidelines from OSHA and the Department of Labor.
• Updates on CMS Conditions of Participation.
• Provide a framework for developing prevention systems - Leadership oversight, Policies and procedures, Reporting systems, Data collection and analysis, Post-incident strategies, Training, and education to decrease WPV.
• Understanding the CMS’s recent memo regarding workplace violence and providing a safe environment for care.
• Implement processes to identify safety, security, and risks associated with an environment of care.
• Actions to mitigate or resolve the risk based on analysis, reports, and investigation findings.
• Discuss all incidents and issues reported to staff in QAPI or other functions. 
• Identifying an individual accountable for the organization’s WPV prevention program.
• Discuss 5 Core Elements - Management’s commitment and employee participation, Worksite analysis and hazard identification, Hazard prevention and control, Safety and health training, and Recordkeeping and program evaluation.
• Maintaining Joint Commission Emergency Plans.
• Identifying ASIS checklist.

 Why Should You Attend:

Workplace Violence has severe consequences for both employees and organizations. Our nation’s healthcare workers, who have tirelessly helped care for and treat the sick and dying while facing increased violence, especially during the pandemic, deserve the same legal protections. Healthcare facilities must stay updated with the specific requirements and guidelines provided by the Joint Commission and CMS to ensure compliance with their standards.

Who Should Attend:

• Patient Safety Officers.
• Risk managers and staff.
• TJC accreditation director.
• Compliance officers.
• CMS regulatory compliance staff.
• Department directors.
• Nurses.
• Nurse Educators.
• Nurse managers and supervisors.
• Quality improvement director and staff. 
• Senior Leaders, including CEO, COO, CNO, CMO

Presenter Information:

Name: Laura A. Dixon

Laura A. Dixon served as the Director, Facility Patient Safety and Risk Management, and Operations for COPIC from 2014 to 2020. In her role, Ms. Dixon provided patient safety and risk management consulting and training to facilities, practitioners, and staff in multiple states.

Such services included the creation of presentations on risk management topics, assessment of healthcare facilities; and development of programs and compilation of reference materials that complement physician-oriented products.

Ms. Dixon has more than twenty years of clinical experience in acute care facilities, including critical care, coronary care, peri-operative services, and pain management. Prior to joining COPIC, she served as the Director of, Western Region, Patient Safety, and Risk Management for The Doctors Company, Napa, California.

In this capacity, she provided patient safety and risk management consultation to the physicians and staff in the western United States. Ms. Dixon’s legal experience includes representation of clients for Social Security Disability Insurance providing legal counsel and representation at disability hearings and appeals, medical malpractice defense, and representation of nurses before the Colorado Board of Nursing.

As a registered nurse and attorney, Laura holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Regis University, RECEP of Denver, a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Drake University College of Law, Des Moines, Iowa, and a Registered Nurse Diploma from Saint Luke’s School Professional Nursing, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She is licensed to practice law in Colorado and California.