Report: State Hospital Workers At Risk Of Violence
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A review finds California's hospital workers, especially those in emergency rooms and psychiatric wards, are at risk of violence on a daily basis.
A Los Angeles Times report published Sunday says some hospital caregivers say they are bitten, hit and kicked so often they consider it a regular part of the job.
More than one in 10 emergency room nurses surveyed last year said they had been attacked in the previous week. A 2007 study found nearly 40 percent of employees in California emergency rooms said they had been assaulted on the job in the previous year.
The newspaper finds most attacks don't cause serious injury, but hundreds have resulted in state workers' compensation claims in recent years.
The issue has recently gained attention as hospital employee unions have begun pushing for broader protections and more reporting by hospitals.
(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
