Workplace Violence in Health Care Settings: A Narrative Review

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others - Mahatma Gandhi. Above quotation is really applicable at health care settings where care providers are witness of opening eyes of a new born and gently closes the eyes of a dying man. But present scenario is quite different. Any health care personal however conscientious or careful, every hour of a day they are object of some unfair attack, hateful accusation, black mail or suit for harms. Now, violence in healthcare is a serious and rising issue worldwide. Patients are not only losing trust on doctors or nurses, they are also malhandling and charging them in case of any bad outcomes. [1] Sadly, with the advancement of new technology, therapeutic touch and understanding is missing day by day. The hopes and expectations of patients and their relatives has reachedat unrealistic levels asbenefits of medical technology had been oversold by the media.4, 500 resident doctors in Maharashtra proceeded on mass casual leave on 21st-24th March, 2017 after assault of a junior doctor (Dr Rohit Kumar at Mumbai's LokmanyaTilak Municipal Hospital) by relatives of a patient under his care. [2] Service hit in West Bengal state run medical colleges and hospital as doctors have gone on strike after attack of Dr. Paribaha Mukherjee by relative of an 85year old died patient on 11thJune, 2019. [3] Health care violence doesn?t only happen between patient and healthcare professional, it can be inter or intra-personal like between doctors, nurses, technicians, attendants, and human resource staff or other personal too at heath care. That can be physical threat, defamation, refusal to pay overtime or any verbal, nonverbal, or physical form of sexual offences that injuries a person's prestige. ArunaRamchandraShanbaug, an Indian Nurse, is an example of sexual assault by a ward boy, was atcentre of attention in court as a case of Euthanasia. [4] World Health Organization claims that 8-38% of health care members become victims of physical violence throughout their whole career. [5] Actual occurrence of verbal violence is difficult to quantify as these issues often go unreported. [6] Workplace violence is emerging as a bane to the health care profession and has to be dealt with urgently. Good communication with patients, strong legislation and standard operating procedure, restricted public access, security, CCTVsurveillance along with other factors should be dealt with to mitigate this burning issue.