The Kidney Citizen May 2018 | Page 11

table below, ranging from threats, property damage, sexual assault, to death. 74 76 71 39 41 19 17 13 9 5 20 3 8 There are three main risk factors for threats of violence in dialysis centers: people suffering from mental illness, substance 22 25 42 7 Secondary 0 45 25 Primary 30 5 38 35 10 57 40 15 64 45 20 Report weapons used 20 % Respondents Indentifying Primary and Secondary Coordinator’s of Response Of all the incidents reported, 50% were carried out by patients, largely in response to staff setting limits. Consider the types of things that commonly occur: • A patient is upset that they are not put on at the expected time. • A patient is offended by another patient’s behavior, dress, politics, sexuality, etc. • Staff does not respond to patient’s need in a timely manner. A variety of weapons used was also reported. Some were used to do physical harm, others were used to threaten harm. 66 types of violence reported abuse, or an inability to cope with the changes presented by life. These can afflict patients, staff, or family members. Additionally, the characteristics of the neighborhood need to be taken into consideration. Is there gang activity, shelters or soup kitchens, or homeless people in the area? Personal Safety: There are things you can do to stay safe. It starts with being aware. When you are coming to a facility for dialysis, you are naturally thinking of your own care, your own day. But a dialysis facility is no different from another public place. You want to be aware of your surroundings; who is there, what’s going on, where are the exits? Are exists blocked or accessible? Is the security door to the treatment area propped open? Is the parking area well lit? Do you know how to safely disconnect from your machine in an emergency? It would be a tremendous relief to believe that staff will take care of any potentially violent situation, but staff have varying levels of training, experience, and communication skills. At certain times, there is only a “bare bones” staff. In our research, we asked about the primary and secondary coordinators of a response to violence. The most frequently identified person was the dialysis facility manager, followed by “no one.” Further, staff may not have the training and practice to feel they can respond competently. Sixty percent of respondents reported they had on-line training, but fewer than half reported any other kinds of training. If you hear someone making threats or see an action that tells you danger is present, report it immediately. A lot of times people will say “I don’t want to get involved,” but it is your involvement, and everyone else’s that create a culture of safety by working together. You may be able 11