Tulsa shooting

[lawpoke87]

That is also a distinct possibility; though disregarding the shooter's motivation (not justifying it, but acknowledging that it existed) might make you overlook a serious issue.

Also, I don't think the fact that a person who was in significant enough pain to go through back surgery and wanted pain meds, is a reason to fault them for being upset at their prolonged pain. I wouldn't think that any junky off the street is scrounging up enough money and has the medical necessity for a Doctor to engage in a back surgery. There seems to be more to this than simply some guy looking for drugs. And that doesn't mean that the doctor did something wrong by today's standards, but maybe how we treat these patients (even the ones looking for drugs) needs to be looked at.

Prolonged pain? He had major surgery 12 days ago. Of course he’s in some pain. He was told he would be in pain. He received literature telling him he would be in pain. Anyone would expect to be in some pain following major surgery. Btw….dude felt well enough to drive a car to Tulsa for two straight days not to mention buying a gun.

I don’t fault him from being upset. I fault him for murdering four innocent people twelve days after surgery

We’ve already taken a long look at how we prescribe opioids and have changed the standard of care related to the same. A change which is expected to save thousands of lives of year and prevent millions of addicted Americans.

 

[HuffyCane]

Prolonged pain? He had major surgery 12 days ago. Of course he’s in some pain. He was told he would be in pain. He received literature telling him he would be in pain. Anyone would expect to be in some pain following major surgery. Btw….dude felt well enough to drive a car to Tulsa for two straight days not to mention buying a gun.

I don’t fault him from being upset. I fault him for murdering four innocent people twelve days after surgery

We’ve already taken a long look at how we prescribe opioids and have changed the standard of care related to the same. A change which is expected to save thousands of lives of year and prevent millions of addicted Americans.

He purchased the rifle from an FFA licensee so presumably no felony convictions or misdemeanor crimes related to domestic violence.

 

[noble cane]

He purchased the rifle from an FFA licensee so presumably no felony convictions or misdemeanor crimes related to domestic violence.

Why do they keep showing him in a lineup photo then?

 

[aTUfan]

No, they really haven't. They have never had the numbers in the Senate necessary to overcome an inevitable Republican filibuster. And now they have an activist conservative court to deal with as well.

obamacare, stimuluses, infrastructure, . . .

 

[TULSARISING]

obamacare, stimuluses, infrastructure, . . .

Our fearless leader , Joe Biden just called Tulsa… Texas. What a joke

 

[astonmartin708]

Prolonged pain? He had major surgery 12 days ago. Of course he’s in some pain. He was told he would be in pain. He received literature telling him he would be in pain. Anyone would expect to be in some pain following major surgery. Btw….dude felt well enough to drive a car to Tulsa for two straight days not to mention buying a gun.

I don’t fault him from being upset. I fault him for murdering four innocent people twelve days after surgery

We’ve already taken a long look at how we prescribe opioids and have changed the standard of care related to the same. A change which is expected to save thousands of lives of year and prevent millions of addicted Americans.

Apparently our strategy may have been wrong in some instances. People who aren't in legitimate pain to the point they need some sort of relief don't tend to shoot up hospitals.

 

[astonmartin708]

Our fearless leader , Joe Biden just called Tulsa… Texas. What a joke

Might as well be these days.

 

[noble cane]

Might as well be these days.

My income tax bill says otherwise...

 

[HuffyCane]

Why do they keep showing him in a lineup photo then?

Could be a mugshot from some minor random misdemeanor like DUI that wouldn't prevent you from buying a firearm.

 

[lawpoke87]

Apparently our strategy may have been wrong in some instances. People who aren't in legitimate pain to the point they need some sort of relief don't tend to shoot up hospitals.

People in legitimate pain don’t tend to shoot up hospitals. In fact, this nut job is the first one I can recall and we have over 300 million people in this country and I can go back years.

 

[lawpoke87]

Our fearless leader , Joe Biden just called Tulsa… Texas. What a joke

He has no idea where either is. Just sad

 

[astonmartin708]

He has no idea where either is. Just sad

Are you arguing this because you think his signs of dementia have progressed to a stage where he can't reason the difference between Texas and Oklahoma? Or that he never knew?

 

[lawpoke87]

Are you arguing this because you think his signs of dementia have progressed to a stage where he can't reason the difference between Texas and Oklahoma? Or that he never knew?

Lol….the former. It’s pretty obvious Joe gets easily confused and struggles to piece together a string of coherent thoughts. Not the same man he was ten years ago.

 

[astonmartin708]

Lol….the former. It’s pretty obvious Joe gets easily confused and struggles to piece together a string of coherent thoughts. Not the same man he was ten years ago.

I don't disagree that his mental capacity isn't what it used to be. But from the interviews I've seen it's not that he can't differentiate between the two when asked. It's just that his train of thought doesn't work as swiftly as it used to and he conflates items of memory that he previously wouldn't have. It reminds me of many people that age (including Trump)

 

[watu05]

Another possibility is that he had never been on pain meds before and was one of a tiny number of people who experience mania and rage taking them.

I have nothing for you on the policy debate, but I’ll quote an old colleague “The problem with the gun control debate is there are too many absolutists who want no restrictions on all firearms. They are silently enabled by folks on the left who know the constitutional right to an abortion isn’t in the Constitution and they want no restrictions on abortion. Neither is willing to concede that the other should submit to restrictions for fear of silently conceding that they too can be subject to statutory constraints. And neither side, despite having majorities to do so over the years and a favorable President, has legislated on this issue for this reason. So they silently mutually support the other’s positions while they tell their constituents something different. So your problem with gun control isn’t crazy people with assault weapons, it’s crazy people that think abortion on demand should be legal for a viable fetus.”

IOW, the problem isn’t the Republicans in the Senate, it’s the Democrats. And judging by how many Dem moderates are waffling on gun control today, the syrup is pretty tasty right now.

The polls show that most Americans support abortion within limits just as most Americans a support gun controls, aka limits. There is broad support from both parties for a middle ground, but Republicans have successfully pushed for the extreme in both abortion and gun control: total ban and zero limits.

Meanwhile mass shootings continue as daily feature of American life.

 

[HuffyCane]

The polls show that most Americans support abortion within limits just as most Americans a support gun controls, aka limits. There is broad support from both parties for a middle ground, but Republicans have successfully pushed for the extreme in both abortion and gun control: total ban and zero limits. While Democrats also push for a total ban and zero limits.

Meanwhile mass shootings continue as daily feature of American life.

FIFY.

 

[HuffyCane]

People in legitimate pain don’t tend to shoot up hospitals. In fact, this nut job is the first one I can recall and we have over 300 million people in this country and I can go back years.

I’ll disagree. Sporadic violence, particularly between rival gangs who congregate in hospitals after previous violent incidents is a huge problem.

Workplace violence is sporadic across industries and always a concern both for employers and their insurance companies, including hospitals.

Familial violence also is a concern where husband goes in and kills ex wife and bystanders, etc. that’s happened several times.

Granted, I used to study violence in mass gatherings for a living, but there’s been a few of these incidents where people are pissed at their doctors. a botched vasectomy that led to an unwanted pregnancy out in Reno left 3 dead and 4 injured.

Usually it’s mentally disturbed people who go in and do mercy killing. That’s happened several times.

Violence at hospitals is so common in America it’s the subject of comedy/parody.

 

[HuffyCane]

Lol….the former. It’s pretty obvious Joe gets easily confused and struggles to piece together a string of coherent thoughts. Not the same man he was ten years ago.

It’s worse than that. Nobody would spite a man in his 80’s for the occasional gaffe on a place or date, etc.

Biden, apparently, routinely clears his calendar to personally re-write speeches causing all kinds of disruption and delays to regular government functioning. He thinks he’s still in the Senate where speeches actually matter.

So a lot of these gaffes are baked in - in advance. Not only is that a problem for obvious reasons, but he’s got a staff that is backheeled and timid and doesn’t want to tell the Big Guy that Tulsa isn’t in Texas or worse doesn’t care or take the time to check. Or doesn’t know themselves.

 

[aTUfan]

Biden "good god, congress, do something".

so joe you were in the Senate 42 years; why didnt you do something?

 

[TU_BLA]

You’re suggesting the dead Doctor may have botched the surgery as well as the prospect of a malpractice suit. There is zero evidence to suggest any of that. Again…it had been 12 days. Looking forward to more info coming out. Hearing the guy wanted more pain meds and Doctor was conservative in providing the same. Guess we can discuss the societal cost of our opioid epidemic.

This does seem to be a motivation, at least on the surface from initial reports.

 

[astonmartin708]

FIFY.

Which leading Democrats are pushing for a total firearms ban? Please. Point them out to me. And which ones have advocated for late term abortions?

I can certainly point out a number of Republicans advocating for complete bans on abortion and complete deregulation of gun ownership.

 

[astonmartin708]

This does seem to be a motivation, at least on the surface from initial reports.

Again, does it matter? If you were in pain to the point that you were willing to kill others and yourself over it, don't you think you might be in enough pain to have a prescription for meds?

Lawpoke is trying to paint the shooter as a crazy junky. Which, even if he was trying to get meds, may or may not be the case. Assuming so could be detrimental in understanding how we can prevent this later on. (Without gun control)

I would be completely astounded if this guy injured his back to the point that a surgeon would recommend and agree to surgery, just to get meds.

 

[astonmartin708]

Biden "good god, congress, do something".

so joe you were in the Senate 42 years; why didnt you do something?

They did. In the 90's. The Republicans in congress let it lapse 10 years later.

 

[lawpoke87]

Again, does it matter? If you were in pain to the point that you were willing to kill others and yourself over it, don't you think you might be in enough pain to have a prescription for meds?

Lawpoke is trying to paint the shooter as a crazy junky. Which, even if he was trying to get meds, may or may not be the case. Assuming so could be detrimental in understanding how we can prevent this later on. (Without gun control)

I would be completely astounded if this guy injured his back to the point that a surgeon would recommend and agree to surgery, just to get meds.

Tens of millions of people have surgery every year. Most are in pain after said surgery. To my knowledge this guy is the only one in years who decided to go on a murder spree 12 days after major surgery because he was in pain. Yeah….he was a crazy nut job who was willing to murder innocent people (even those not associated with the surgery) because he didn’t get the opioids he wanted. He is to blame here. Not the surgeon, not his staff, not our opioid policy. Not going to try to shift blame from the bad guy like Aston has since jump.

 

[HuffyCane]

I would be completely astounded if this guy injured his back to the point that a surgeon would recommend and agree to surgery, just to get meds.

Google opioid crisis 2008 Ohio Florida and get back to us.

 

[HuffyCane]

Which leading Democrats are pushing for a total firearms ban? Please. Point them out to me. And which ones have advocated for late term abortions?

I can certainly point out a number of Republicans advocating for complete bans on abortion and complete deregulation of gun ownership.

Are you purposely being ignorant to prove some kind of point? There is a bill pending as we speak in the US Senate sponsored by the Majority Leader Chuck Schumer which mandates a right to an abortion without restrictions for the duration of the pregnancy, up to and including as birth begins. He has told the whips to count noses on who supports and who doesn't. Jen Psaki repeatedly refused to answer any questions regarding what restrictions on abortion that President supports. Polling of Democratic Party voters consistently sees no restrictions abortion support between 40% and 60% depending on who is doing the polling, where, how, and how worded. See below for the blood bath numbers on that issue and many others for your party.

On the flip aide, Sanders refuses to affirm an individuals right to possess firearms. Sanders, the assault weapons ban author, previously did affirm the right to possess firearms because a substantial number of his constituents hunt. However, since his first Presidential run, he has refused to affirm those rights or set limits on what he would restrict. He throws out politically popular ideas like banning the gunshow "loophole" but changes the subject when asked if that means he opposes family members selling guns to their family members or local Pastor.

 

[Gold*]

I don’t understand how a guy with that much alleged back pain picked up an AR 15, carried it into a hospital, and was able to shoot it. I’ve shot these a few times. There’s not a lot of control if you aren’t careful and know what you’re doing. I have to think the scene is an absolute mess and judging by the number of rounds shot off, it is. None of this helps, but I can’t wrap my head around that.

I did some background research on this guy. It’s a weird story. I get the impression that he was a kept man/ total loser wanting more drugs.

I also believe that consumers have no business buying this weapon. It’s stupidly dangerous and lethal. We had a case where someone got killed from a shot from one of these (on accident) hundreds of yards and at a different elevation away. The grenade ban works well and I don’t see why anyone can buy these. Then again, I don’t know how you put the genie back in the bottle.

It’s sick we can’t have a discussion on how to make this issue better and take meaningful steps. And whatever is going on in Uvalde is really bad. Tulsa looks pretty good right now, despite how tragic this is.

 

[watu05]

A Polling of Democratic Party voters consistently sees no restrictions abortion support between 40% and 60% depending on who is doing the polling, where, how, and how worded.

In a new U.S. poll, a majority identify as 'pro-choice' for the first time in decades

The Gallup poll, conducted after the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, says that 55 percent of Americans now identify as pro-choice, up from 49 percent last year.

www.npr.org

More than half of Americans want stricter gun laws: poll

A poll conducted between the mass shootings that took place this month in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, Texas, found that over half of Americans supported making gun violence laws more strict. F…

thehill.com

 

[watu05]

It’s sick we can’t have a discussion on how to make this issue better and take meaningful steps.

Yep. Two more shootings reported today.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/06/03/shootings-ames-church-racine-funeral/

 

[HuffyCane]

Yep. Two more shootings reported today.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/06/03/shootings-ames-church-racine-funeral/

Is it time to talk about the role the media plays in the overwhelming numbers of mass shootings that occur within 14 days of a previous mass casualty event?

 

[lawpoke87]

51 people were shot in Chicago alone last weekend. Yet no one cares (media and politicians included) for a number of reasons.

 

[HuffyCane]

In a new U.S. poll, a majority identify as 'pro-choice' for the first time in decades

The Gallup poll, conducted after the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, says that 55 percent of Americans now identify as pro-choice, up from 49 percent last year.

www.npr.org

More than half of Americans want stricter gun laws: poll

A poll conducted between the mass shootings that took place this month in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, Texas, found that over half of Americans supported making gun violence laws more strict. F…

thehill.com

No elected official cares what polling says about how people or even voters lean on issues. They only care about what issues drive turnout for voting. And both sides know absolutist positions on these issues both drives turn out and protects their flank to the right or left in a primary. It’s why we have an impasse as explained above.

These scene is absurdly realistic. It’s the best dramatic presentation that will ever be made on how polls are viewed by political operatives who actually work in government. As the clip points out, peace polled quite well in Chamberlain’s England.

 

[lawpoke87]

In a new U.S. poll, a majority identify as 'pro-choice' for the first time in decades

The Gallup poll, conducted after the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, says that 55 percent of Americans now identify as pro-choice, up from 49 percent last year.

www.npr.org

More than half of Americans want stricter gun laws: poll

A poll conducted between the mass shootings that took place this month in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, Texas, found that over half of Americans supported making gun violence laws more strict. F…

thehill.com

Just FYI….I identify as pro-choice but the prospect of aborting/killing a fully viable 8.5 month fetus is one of vilest acts I can imagine.

 

[TU_BLA]

Tens of millions of people have surgery every year. Most are in pain after said surgery. To my knowledge this guy is the only one in years who decided to go on a murder spree 12 days after major surgery because he was in pain. Yeah….he was a crazy nut job who was willing to murder innocent people (even those not associated with the surgery) because he didn’t get the opioids he wanted. He is to blame here. Not the surgeon, not his staff, not our opioid policy. Not going to try to shift blame from the bad guy like Aston has since jump.

We still don't know if the doc refused to prescribe more pain meds...that is all still speculation. For all we know, the guy was still in pain after a surgery that was probably recommended by the doc and he could have just expecting to be 100% better afterwards. I'm not saying that's a reason to go on a rampage like this. He could have just been pissed off about spending that amount of money and going through that amount of trouble to not feel any better. Again, not a reason for a reasonable person to go on a rampage like that. No surgery or course of treatment is 100% effective every time. And it's unfortunate people want to blame doctors. I have had a rotator cuff repaired and I know many others who have dealt with the same thing. After my surgery, I did the rehab and PT as prescribed and my shoulder has felt like new ever since. Others have struggled to get their full range of motion back afterwards and still experience stiffness and soreness in their shoulders (I am blessed...I rarely feel any soreness in that shoulder).

I've always been loathe to not take pain meds knowing the addiction issues to other substances in my family history. I'm usually done after a day, two at the most. I know not everyone is like that though.

In the end, what happened should have been avoided...and ultimately the ridiculously easy access to guns is the reason it did happen.

 

[astonmartin708]

Tens of millions of people have surgery every year. Most are in pain after said surgery. To my knowledge this guy is the only one in years who decided to go on a murder spree 12 days after major surgery because he was in pain. Yeah….he was a crazy nut job who was willing to murder innocent people (even those not associated with the surgery) because he didn’t get the opioids he wanted. He is to blame here. Not the surgeon, not his staff, not our opioid policy. Not going to try to shift blame from the bad guy like Aston has since jump.

The point is, we’re there alternatives that could have prevented this? The answer is likely yes. This was not an inevitable occurrence.

Understanding the motive, even if the action was unjustified, is important to try and prevent future actions… that is unless you want to disregard his motive and just say he shouldn’t have had access to a firearm despite the fact that he didn’t (to our current knowledge) show signs of mental illness that would warrant him being prevented from purchasing a firearm.

I was trying to walk a middle ground and say that if we could help prevent the illness then we wouldn’t need to treat the symptoms. But you keep directing me towards a path that would say that anyone can snap at any time and that no one is trustworthy with a firearm.

 

[TU 1978]

Our fearless leader , Joe Biden just called Tulsa… Texas. What a joke

As opposed to Orange Palpatine who certainly remembers his failed Tulsa ‘rally’. 🤣🤣🤣

 

[lawpoke87]

The point is, we’re there alternatives that could have prevented this? The answer is likely yes. This was not an inevitable occurrence.

Understanding the motive, even if the action was unjustified, is important to try and prevent future actions… that is unless you want to disregard his motive and just say he shouldn’t have had access to a firearm despite the fact that he didn’t (to our current knowledge) show signs of mental illness that would warrant him being prevented from purchasing a firearm.

I was trying to walk a middle ground and say that if we could help prevent the illness then we wouldn’t need to treat the symptoms. But you keep directing me towards a path that would say that anyone can snap at any time and that no one is trustworthy with a firearm.

You keep wanting alternatives or solutions to this situation. I’m pointing out that millions and millions of Americans go through surgery and subsequent pain every year without going on a murderous rampage. Such would indicate there isn’t a problem with the process or doctor but with the one out of ten million who chose an evil path. Criticism of the process of buying the firearm is legitimate imo. Suggesting fault with the doctor or process isn’t valid imo. The shear numbers indicate as much. The guy is one in tens of millions.

 

[astonmartin708]

You keep wanting alternatives or solutions to this situation. I’m pointing out that millions and millions of Americans go through surgery and subsequent pain every year without going on a murderous rampage. Such would indicate there isn’t a problem with the process or doctor but with the one out of ten million who chose an evil path. Criticism of the process of buying the firearm is legitimate imo. Suggesting fault with the doctor or process isn’t valid imo. The shear numbers indicate as much. The guy is one in tens of millions.

The fact that people don't shoot up the hospitals don't indicate that there IS NOT a problem. It indicates that if there was a problem they were willing to tolerate more than this person.

Also, the number is much higher than 1/10,000,000 At any given time there are roughly 320,000,000 people in our country and we have had far more than 32 mass shootings, much less armed murders in general.

This isn't just an evil thing. Many of the people who conducted these shootings could have probably been dissuaded given the right intervention beforehand. But, since you think the avenue of motive intervention isn't the appropriate strategy, the only path is limiting weapons access to everyone. Because none of us can tell which of our neighbors is liable to open fire for any reason they deem necessary.

 

[lawpoke87]

The fact that people don't shoot up the hospitals don't indicate that there IS NOT a problem. It indicates that if there was a problem they were willing to tolerate more than this person.

Also, the number is much higher than 1/10,000,000 At any given time there are roughly 320,000,000 people in our country and we have had far more than 32 mass shootings, much less armed murders in general.

This isn't just an evil thing. Many of the people who conducted these shootings could have probably been dissuaded given the right intervention beforehand. But, since you think the avenue of motive intervention isn't the appropriate strategy, the only path is limiting weapons access to everyone. Because none of us can tell which of our neighbors is liable to open fire for any reason they deem necessary.

We are talking specifically about an individual shooting up hospitals due to post op pain or denial of opioids not simply mass shootings. You’re numbers are way off due to your inclusion of incidents off topic. The fact that millions of people every go through this process with no violence indicates this is not only an outlier but a one 1/10,000,000 outlier….at a minimum.

 

[astonmartin708]

We are talking specifically about an individual shooting up hospitals due to post op pain or denial of opioids not simply mass shootings. You’re numbers are way off due to your inclusion of incidents off topic. The fact that millions of people every go through this process with no violence indicates this is not only an outlier but a one 1/10,000,000 outlier….at a minimum.

Violence Against Healthcare Workers: A Rising Epidemic​

May 12, 2019
Wallace Stephens



As National Nurses' week comes to a close, more attention needs to be brought to increasing rates of violence against employees in the field of healthcare.

Studies show violence against healthcare employees is more common that most people realilze, and advocacy groups say it's time for policymakers to act on this growing but underreported problem. While 75% of nearly 25,000 workplace assaults occur annually in healthcare settings, only 30% of nurses and 26% of emergency department physicians have reported incidents of violence.1 Those unfamiliar with daily events in healthcare institutions may be shocked to learn that violent altercations are so common that most employees in the field consider them to be simply part of the job.

“Workplace violence against nurses has been going on for decades,” said Michelle Mahon, RN, nursing practice representative for National Nurses United, in an interview with The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®). “A physician heard a nurse being verbally abused by a patient. She walked up to the nurse, put her hand on her shoulder, and asked her if she was OK. The nurse shrugged it off and said that is happens all the time.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines workplace violence as, “Incidents where staff are abused, threatened, or assaulted in circumstances related to their work, including commuting to and from work, involving an explicit or implicit challenge to their safety, well-being, or health.”2 WHO considers both physical and psychological harm, including attacks, verbal abuse, bullying, and both sexual and racial harassment, to be workplace violence.2

According to the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), nearly 7 out of 10 emergency physicians believe that emergency department violence is increasing.3 About 80% of these physicians acknowledged that these events have also taken a toll on patients. Over 50% said that patients have been physically harmed. Also, 47% of physicians have said that they’d personally been physically assaulted at work.

The government has taken initiatives to help protect employees in the healthcare field, but advocacy groups have stressed that more meaningful changes are needed. In March, ACEP sent a letter of support for the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, which asked Congress to consider how emergency departments (EDs) are staffed to ensure that the main provisions of the legislation could be appropriately implemented.3 Near the beginning of April 2019, the Nevada Assembly’s Committee on Commerce and Labor passed a violence prevention bill that would make employers more accountable for the safety of their employees, according to a statement.

In an interview with AJMC®, Leigh Vinocur MD, national spokesperson for ACEP, said more attention has been brought to the issue. “We’re bringing this up again because we want people to take notice. There are some bills in Congress about assaulting emergency medical services or healthcare workers. Maybe there needs to be some of that muscle behind it and people need to understand,” she said.

Types of Workplace Violence

According to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, there are 4 types of violence that can occur in the workplace.5 The first type is by perpetrators who have no association with the workplace or employee. In the second type, the assailant is a customer or a patient of the workplace or employee. A third type is when the attacker is a current or former employee of the workplace. The fourth type occurs when the perpetrator has a personal relationship with the employee but not with the workplace.

The second type of violence, usually committed by patient, their families, or their friends, is most prevalent against healthcare workers. However, acts of violence also occur between staff members. “I was previously assaulted by a physician,” Mahon mentioned.

Identifying the Causes

A hospital setting creates extreme levels or stress for patients, their families and friends, and employees of the institution. Fear and illness are major contributors of agitation and aggression from patients. While there are many causes act of violence, dire, emotional circumstances an addition to an overly stressful environmental are main contributors. “It makes sense because the healthcare setting and the ED specifically is a very emotionally volatile experience for people. Patients are at their worst, they’re feeling horrible, they’re ill, they’re frightened and vulnerable. Their family members are also frightened and stressed out, and people lash out. We see psychiatric issues because of lack of behavioral health, gang violence,and gun violence." Mahon said.

“It’s not always a criminal element that’s lashing out. These are frightened and scared sick people, frightened family members that are screaming,” Vinocur mentioned.

Previous measures taken by employers to reduce acts of violence have also been criticized by employees. “Safety interventions that hospitals have taken are failing. Acts of violence that occur are brought up the executive level daily, but that does nothing to prevent workplace violence. It’s a response not a prevention measure,” Mahon stressed.


“The violence that’s occurring is coming from sick people that are not in their right mind the majority of the time. It is not our patients. Many people are taking the approach of criminalizing our patients. It does not prevent violence to charge patients with a felony.” Mahon said. “It could be you. You can get your wisdom teeth pulled and be out of your head from that anesthesia drug and not in a good decision-making capacity. You could be confused, not understand what’s happening, and assault your nurse.”

Major design flaws in the current healthcare system have also been blamed for creating negative care settings. “Healthcare is not focused on wellness. The system creates a situation where there is so much stress, where people can’t get preventive care, where they’re worried about whether or not they’re going to have to file bankruptcy because their wife is sick and in bed, getting a surgery that they need. People suffer with food insecurity. There are no resources to take care of their family member or their loved one or themselves. This type of stress is leading to violence, and it all comes together in that hospital room. The system is broken. Our healthcare system has warped priorities.”

Frequency of Verbal and Physical Attacks

Whether the abuse suffered by healthcare employees may be verbal or physical, every single day employees in the healthcare field are assaulted in the United States.

In an interview with AJMC®, Schipp Ames, vice president of Communications, Education and Member Services for the South Carolina Hospital Association noted the alarming reports of gun violence that occurred in South Carolina hospitals in April 2019. “Within 48 hours we had 2 hospital shootings in South Carolina. Something like that happens once and everybody’s antenna goes up. Something happens like that twice in that quick of a timeframe and people start to get very scared. To see that happen 2 times on back-to-back days like that when we’ve never had a hospital shooting, as far as I’m aware, in our history in 1 of our hospitals, it’s pretty hard to comprehend.”

Violence Against Healthcare Workers: A Rising Epidemic

As National Nurses' week comes to a close, more attention needs to be brought to increasing rates of violence against employees in the field of healthcare.

www.ajmc.com