Healthcare professionals face a growing safety crisis, with rising violence stemming from patients, visitors, and unpredictable situations. Nurses, emergency room staff, mental health professionals, and home healthcare workers are particularly vulnerable.
The risks are even greater for home healthcare workers. They often work alone in unfamiliar environments without immediate access to security personnel. Whether entering a new home, dealing with volatile patient behavior, or responding to medical emergencies, these professionals need reliable safety measures in place.
Having panic buttons available to healthcare workers increases their safety and confidence, reducing burnout and dissatisfaction.
The rate of workplace violence in healthcare is significantly higher than in other industries. An analysis by Press Ganey found that more than two nursing personnel were assaulted every hour in the second quarter of 2022, equating to nearly 57 attacks per day in U.S. hospitals.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that healthcare workers are five times more likely to suffer workplace violence injuries than workers in other industries. Alarmingly, as many as 80 percent of workplace violence incidents involving nurses go unreported, according to the American Nurses Association.
Home healthcare workers face additional risks, as they often work alone in unfamiliar environments without immediate access to security personnel. Delayed emergency response in violent situations not only places workers in danger but also increases legal and compliance risks for healthcare organizations.
Ignoring workplace safety concerns can have severe consequences for healthcare organizations, including increased incidents of violence, legal repercussions, high staff turnover, and damage to reputation. Implementing panic button technology is a proactive approach to ensuring healthcare workers, especially home healthcare workers, have the protection they need to do their jobs safely.
As violence increases, frontline healthcare employees are placed in greater danger. In emergency rooms, nurses frequently experience physical assaults from distressed or agitated patients. In psychiatric facilities, mental health professionals are at high risk of being attacked. Home healthcare workers often work alone and are particularly vulnerable. The increasing frequency of these incidents underscores the urgent need for real-time emergency response solutions.
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Healthcare facilities can face serious legal and financial consequences when they fail to protect workers from workplace violence.
A hospital in Portland, Oregon, is currently facing a $35 million lawsuit after a security guard was fatally shot on the premises. The lawsuit alleges that the facility failed to implement necessary security measures to prevent violence. The legal and financial risks of inaction can be significant, especially as more states introduce stricter workplace safety laws for healthcare settings.
Failing to provide adequate safety measures directly impacts employee retention. Healthcare workers are leaving the industry at an increasing rate, citing workplace safety as a major concern. When hospitals and healthcare facilities fail to address these issues, staff morale declines, and retention becomes a growing challenge. Implementing panic button systems has been shown to improve employee confidence and reduce turnover by demonstrating a commitment to worker safety.
When healthcare organizations fail to prioritize safety, they risk losing the trust of both employees and patients. Incidents of workplace violence that make headlines can discourage skilled healthcare workers from joining an organization. Patients and families may also lose confidence in a hospital’s ability to provide safe and effective care. Proactively addressing safety concerns helps to build trust and prevent damage to an organization’s reputation.
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A panic button system provides an immediate way for healthcare workers to request help during an emergency. These systems are designed to be simple yet highly effective, ensuring that workers can discreetly trigger an alert without escalating a situation.
Panic button systems instantly notify security personnel or emergency responders when activated. These systems are designed to:
Healthcare organizations have multiple options when deploying panic button solutions. Hospitals and clinics can use fixed panic buttons to ensure that frontline staff can easily access assistance.
In home healthcare, GPS-enabled wearable panic buttons protect workers in the field in the form of a smartphone app or standalone device. Panic button systems also discreetly allow staff to request help when managing unpredictable situations in high-risk environments such as mental health facilities and assisted living centers.
Selecting the right panic button system requires carefully assessing an organization’s specific safety risks, compliance requirements, and security infrastructure.
Healthcare organizations must determine where their workers face the highest risks. Staff in emergency rooms, psychiatric units, and home healthcare settings are at the most significant risk of workplace violence. Employers should evaluate whether their workers need wearable, or fixed panic buttons and identify the most common safety threats they face, such as patient aggression, working alone, or delayed emergency response times.
A panic button solution must comply with industry regulations, including OSHA, Joint Commission standards, and state workplace safety laws. Healthcare organizations should also verify that the system is HIPAA-compliant to protect sensitive worker locations and emergency data. A panic button system should include incident reporting and audit trails to document emergency responses and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
For instance, OSHA has regulations around lone worker safety. These rules include continuously monitoring lone workers, and you can face large fines if you don’t meet the standards.
To be effective, a panic button system must integrate with a healthcare facility’s security infrastructure. Organizations should confirm that the solution is compatible with emergency response procedures, GPS monitoring, and other relevant systems. Scalability is also important, ensuring that the system can accommodate future expansion and evolving safety needs.
Security and emergency services must be notified immediately when someone presses their SOS button. Healthcare organizations should assess how quickly the system can notify responders and whether it includes real-time location monitoring. They should also determine whether the system is cloud-based or reliant on on-site infrastructure, as cloud-based solutions offer greater reliability in emergencies.
You need your new panic buttons to be easy to use, even under stress. The system should require minimal training, offer simple activation, and include discreet options for silent alerts to prevent further escalation. If a system is too complex, employees may be hesitant to use it when it matters most.
Aware360 offers a real-time, people-centric safety solution for healthcare. Our panic button is designed to provide real-time support when it matters most.
The system is also fully HIPAA-compliant, ensuring worker location and emergency data remain secure.
It also has a proven life-saving impact. Covenant Health implemented Aware360’s AlertGPS. Soon after implementation, an employee was in an emergency situation and pressed her SOS button. A rapid response team arrived at the location within 10 minutes, delivering life-saving care and highlighting the safety devices' essential role in personal safety during emergencies.
Additionally, the system improves incident reporting and compliance documentation, assisting organizations in meeting workplace safety regulations and mitigating legal risks.
Healthcare workers should never have to choose between their safety and their duty to care for patients. A panic button system is a critical tool that allows employees to quickly and discreetly call for help in dangerous situations. Implementing a real-time panic button solution improves staff safety, ensures compliance with safety regulations, and helps healthcare organizations retain skilled professionals.
To learn more about how Aware360 can enhance safety in your healthcare facility, contact us today for a demo.