Bulletins

 

November 2007

An empowered organization is one in which individuals have the knowledge, skill, desire, and opportunity to personally succeed in a way that leads to collective organizational success.

 

~ Stephen Covey

Regardless of the role you play in the caring professions, feeling safe throughout your workday can mean the difference between going to work each day with enthusiasm or with dread. When aggression and violence are part of our reality and we do not have the proper tools to deal with them competently, an unsafe work environment is created. In fact, in British Columbia, Canada WorkSafeBC reported approximately 3,233 violent assaults against health care workers between the years 2001 and 2006. Given this staggering number it is not surprising that health care has the highest number of violent incidents compared to other industries.

The consequences of unsafe work environments can be enormous. For worker compensation boards like the one in British Columbia, it means an average of $2,625,000 in lost workdays per year for the health care industry. While this is a heavy financial burden for employers, it hints at a more serious issue. People are actually being put in harms way. Moreover, aggression and violence evoke apathy, fear, and anger, which lead to burn out and job dissatisfaction. Similarly, unsafe work environments can have legal ramifications for management and owners if they are found to be neglectful.

Now that we have clearly identified the problem, it is time to start moving toward a solution. Those of us at E.R.T. for Healthcare live by a motto that in every problem or adversity there is an equal or greater opportunity. Developing the interpersonal skills required to neutralize aggressive behaviour and promote a safe work environment, is an amazing opportunity for those in the caring professions to grow both personally and professionally. Becoming aware of how one’s beliefs and behaviours influence the behaviour of others is a process that requires a higher level of consciousness. We believe that violence can be minimized in the workplace through the therapeutic management of aggression.

E.R.T. for Healthcare empowers caring professionals with the necessary verbal and physical tools to prevent violent incidents from occurring. As participants learn how to prevent, identify and manage aggressive behaviour, they express increased feelings of job satisfaction.

~ Written November 2007

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We would like to express our deeply felt gratitude to all of the facilities and institutions that rely on us to provide the education and support necessary to create a safe work environment. It is an honor to play a part in the growth of the health care field by serving all of those caring individuals who conscientiously practice their profession in a manner that is respected and trusted by their communities.

Thank you to all of the participants who have completed our course and expressed your gratitude for our program. We are touched by your many expressions of appreciation, which deepens our commitment to continually creating ways to support your success as caring professionals.

To those of you whom we have not yet served, we appreciate your interest in our program and look forward to the opportunity to work with you.

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Downloadable Copy - November 2007 Bulletin (pdf, 56kb)