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Injury Prevention Resources for Health Care - Violence B.C. logo for violence prevention resources  image


Patient Handling | General Ergonomics | Violence | Infectious Disease |
Home Care | Chemical and Physical Hazards | General Safety |

The following links list tools, publications, and other resources to help prevent the most common injuries and illnesses in the health care industry. These resources may not meet all the requirements for health and safety in British Columbia. Please check the Workers Compensation Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, and related materials for specific WorkSafeBC requirements.

Communicate patient information: Prevent violence-related injuries to health care and social services workers new item

Violence is a leading cause of injury to B.C. care workers and results in over 1,000 injuries each year. Investigations of violent incidents frequently reveal that the patient involved had a history, or a known risk, of violent behaviour that was not communicated to workers by way of assessments, charts, and care plans. This bulletin concerns the requirements related to patient privacy and worker health and safety that are set out by the Workers Compensation Act and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (137 KB)
Dated: June 2011

Dementia: Understanding Risks and Preventing Violence BK125

The purpose of this book is to provide some understanding of how to prevent or minimize the risk of injury to workers when caring for people with dementia. It also provides the framework for incorporating the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation into clinical care.

Many people with dementia eventually experience significant cognitive losses. They may not be able to verbally communicate their physical or emotional discomforts, so they express their needs and emotions through behaviours, which may include hitting, grabbing or swearing.

In residential care, being struck or grabbed is the second most common cause of occupational injury of health care workers, after overexertion. In British Columbia, this accounts for more than 1,000 time-loss claims per year---many of which are related to caring for people with dementia.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (957 KB)
Dated: October 2010

Working with Dementia: Safe Work Practices for Caregivers

The video consists of a series of modules that describe how to care for people with dementia. The introductory module provides general information on dementia. The remaining modules use enactments to portray situations that caregivers may encounter when caring for a person with dementia. They show caregivers how to respond to similar situations in order to stay safe and support the person with dementia.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* Video

Leave When It's Unsafe

Many healthcare workers work alone in the community. Learn what to do if you feel threatened or unsafe.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* Video (3 min 19 sec)

Delirium in the Older Person: Family Guide (DVD)

Vancouver Island Health Authority's MultiMedia Services and Mental Health & Addiction Services collaborated to produce "Delirium in the Older Person: Family Guide" a DVD about delirium.
Source: Vancouver Island Health Authority MMS
* HTML
* More delirium resources from Vancouver Island Health Authority.

"Violence is not part of your job" poster

This poster is a reminder that violence is not part of a health care worker's job.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (2.8 MB)
Dated: July 2009

Preventing Violence in Health Care BK34

This handbook is designed to help health care organizations to develop, implement, and maintain effective workplace violence prevention programs or to improve existing programs.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC
* PDF (670 KB)
Updated: December 2005
* Available in print from Publications, Videos and Forms Distribution.

Provincial Violence Prevention Training Curriculum Project Logo

logo The BC Healthcare industry's Provincial Violence Prevention Steering Committee (PVPSC), made up of representatives from employers, unions, and the Occupational Health & Safety Agency for Healthcare (OHSAH) has adopted this logo to identify violence prevention resources.

Guidelines: Code White Response

A component of prevention and management of aggressive behaviour in health care.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC, OHSAH, and the Health Association of BC
* PDF (299 KB)
Dated: April 2002

Responding to Aggression in Long-term Care: Lessons from Five Case Studies

This three-year study into the problems of aggression within five of British Columbia's long-term care facilities surveyed employees and examined incident reports and WorkSafeBC claims statistics. The study's findings recommend that employers use a systems approach to develop prevention and risk management strategies to reduce incidence of aggression in the workplace. These strategies should include education and training, policy and procedures, teamwork and environmental controls.
Source: WorkSafeBC WorkSafeBC and Healthcare Benefit Trust
* PDF (732 KB)
Dated: April 2004

Bullying in the Workplace: A handbook for the workplace

Although other types of violence receive more media attention, workplace bullying has increasingly been the focus of researchers, employers, unions and health and safety professionals. Healthcare and community care organizations need new tools to improve their violence prevention strategies including methods to address workplace bullying.
Source: Ontario Safety Association for Community and Healthcare
* PDF (732 KB)

When it's right in front of you - Assisting health care workers to manage the effects of violence in rural and remote Australia

"The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has developed this manual for health care workers, managers and employer organisations in rural and remote Australia, to help them prepare for and respond to violence in ways that will minimize its impact."
Source: National Health and Medical Research Council Australia
* PDF (645 KB)
Dated: 2002

Workplace Violence Risk Assessment at Langley Memorial Hospital

"The consulting firm's team of specialists' undertook to review the current workplace violence situation at LMH and to make recommendations for short and long-term actions that would improve the hospital's workplace violence prevention and management program."
Source: Fraser Health Authority
* PDF (992 KB)
Dated: September 2001

Standards for Hospital-Based Psychiatric Emergency Services: Observation Units

Standards for the safe management of patients with mental illness.
Source: B.C. Ministry of Health
* PDF (165 KB)
Dated: March 2000

Identification of Risk and Prevention of Aggressive Behaviour in Residential Care

This risk assessment in residential long-term care is to provide a comparison of two workplaces, paying particular attention to the training component for prevention of aggression. This report includes the findings of the risk assessments and provides recommendations for enhancing violence prevention programs.
Source: Fraser Health Authority
* PDF (2 MB)
Dated: September 2002

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