On March 12th, we observe the National Day for Education and Prevention Against Violence Towards Healthcare and Social Care Workers. This important awareness day highlights a real problem with alarming statistics.
According to INAIL data, over 5,000 assaults on healthcare workers occur annually, which averages to 14 per day. In 58% of cases, these were physical assaults. This means that in Italy, at least 8 healthcare workers are subjected to violence every day, totaling approximately 3,000 annually.
The figures are staggering: assaults often target emergency room staff, who are the most exposed, but not exclusively. According to research from the University of Tor Vergata in Rome, 89.6% of frontline nurses—such as those involved in hospital triage who “receive” and direct patients—have experienced physical violence or harassment from patients during their careers.
The data provided (the most recent published) pertains to 2019. The situation has certainly worsened during the Covid pandemic, and even with a return to normalcy, the problem persists.
What can be done to protect staff and ensure more acceptable working conditions? Certainly, the challenge is organizational and cultural, but some simple technological solutions could help address this deplorable situation. The SAFETY OF OPERATORS is a focus that healthcare organizations must prioritize to protect their staff. While solving the problem requires a cultural approach and civic education for some users, operators cannot be left alone in cases of real need.
Indoor localization technology, combined with geolocated emergency call management and monitoring solutions, is effective in countering the increasingly frequent assaults in high-risk departments (emergency rooms, psychiatry, etc.). Respecting the operator’s privacy, a localized call can be sent with a simple click to internal security or surveillance forces.
A technologically advanced operator safety solution can be not only an emergency tool but also a deterrent. Those aware that staff can quickly and effectively activate a surveillance system (with traceable, parameterized, and geolocated alarms) are likely to remain calmer even in emotionally stressful situations.
