Lynchburg, Virginia – Centra Health cracks down on employees injured at work.
Leaders said between January and June 2022, 39 employees reported injuries.
Nathan Campbell, Corporate Director of Security at Centra, answered the following question from 10 News.
How concerned is Centra when it comes to workplace violence?
“I am very concerned. Workplace violence does not only consist of weapon harm, it can be any kind of physical or verbal abuse. I’ve seen people spat on, verbally assaulted, etc. We believe the workplace should be a safe place for caregivers.No one should be afraid to come to work. not.”
What do you think causes the violence?
“The state mental health population is overburdening the system and we are starting to see more patients with more severe vision in our facilities. Long hospital stays are common, which means it can cause frustration and encourage violence, and there have also been attacks due to dissatisfaction with masks, societal challenges and changes due to COVID-19 .”
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What steps is Centra taking to resolve the issue?
“We inspect all Centra facilities to ensure they have the appropriate mechanisms in place, such as panic buttons for caregivers, door security measures with access control technology, CCTV systems, and parking lot lighting. We monitor public entrances with signage, media and greeters Most importantly, the Centra Foundation ensures the appropriate level of training for each caregiver role To that end, he generously provided funds for all caregivers to receive stress relief training through the Institute for Crisis Prevention.”
If an employee is injured by a patient, would you consider prosecution if possible?
“Yes, we will assist caregivers in whatever way is necessary to ensure they are properly cared for. We also have policies and programs in place to ensure that our legal and human resources teams can provide the counseling they need. .”
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