With incidents and concerns about safety while delivering care in the field on the rise, it is a reminder how important it is to focus on prevention. Now more than ever, we need to ensure that our staff are prepared and trained for any incidents that may occur during a home visit. The National Association for Home Care and Hospice has issued a call to action to protect home care employees form work place violence. HCA has prepared a list of resources to help support you in this vital goal.
HCA Education
HCA has hosted the following webinars on worker safety under HCA’s NYC DOHMH Emergency Preparedness Grant: “Advancing Safety in the Workplace for Home Care’s Frontline“ and “Staying Safe During Home Visits and Responding to a Critical Incident.”
National/Federal
OSHA Workplace Violence Prevention Resource Page
OSHA Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Healthcare and Social Service Workers
NIOSH Training – Caring for Yourself While Caring for Others
- Module 6: Tips for Setting Healthy and Safe Boundaries to Reduce Stress (includes trainer’s guide, presentation slides and participant handouts) In Module 6, participants learn to describe what causes stress in their work lives; define the many impacts of stress; outline strategies for handling and reducing stress; and explain the safe and healthy boundaries needed between homecare workers and their clients.
- Module 7: Tips for Safely Handling Threatening Behavior When Providing Homecare (includes trainer’s guide, presentation slides and participant handouts) In Module 7, participants learn to describe the types of threatening behavior homecare workers may face when working in homes; identify factors that can heighten the risk that threatening behaviors may occur; explain how to manage their own emotions and reactions when threatened; and outline effective strategies to reduce risks and handle threatening situations safely.
New York
Nonprofit Security Grant Program Sponsored by the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
The NSGP provides funding for physical and cybersecurity enhancements and other security-related activities to nonprofit (501 c3) organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist or other extremist attack.
NSGP funding is awarded under two funding sources: NSGP-Urban Area (UA), for eligible organizations located within UASI areas (the New York City area) and NSGP-State (S), for eligible organizations located outside designated UASI areas.
Maryland Emergency Preparedness Network Home Care Specific Workplace Violence Resources
Workplace Violence Education & Resources
Workplace Violence Webinar Recording
All of the materials contained in the EPN Resource Library are free and curated for home care & hospice providers.
A link to their YouTube channel for all past webinar recordings can be found here.
Weather Guidance
Extreme weather hazards in the workplace correlate to higher accident rates, illness, injuries, and deaths. They can also have an impact on a business through increased workers compensation claims, insurance costs, worker use of workplace benefits like Paid Sick Leave, and overall decreased or diminished worker productivity.
Technology
Home Healthcare Virtual Simulation Training System (VSTS) Site
This training system was developed to train home healthcare professionals (aids, nurses, PTs, OTs, etc.) in the identification of, assessment of, and response to health and safety hazards that pose a risk of injury to them while in a client’s home.
The training system was developed by researchers at The Ohio State University and the University of Louisville. The hazards presented in the training are based, in part, on input from home healthcare workers (Aids, PT/OT, R.N., etc.), through focus group discussions. The training system contains three orientation modules, three training modules, and an assessment module. The training system is functional, useful, and usable, but should still be considered “under development.”
Home HealthCare Conversations (HHC) app
The HHC app was developed by researchers at The Ohio State University in collaboration with home healthcare workers, for home healthcare workers. HHC is designed to provide home healthcare workers with examples of how to (and how not to) have conversations with clients and family members about hazards in a client’s home that pose a health and safety risks to you, the home healthcare worker.
The HHC App is available for a free download:
Toolkits
Toolkit for Mitigating Violence in the Workplace
Developed by the American Organization for Nursing Leadership and Emergency Nurses Association
Joint Commission Prevention of Workplace Violence Resources
Workplace Violence Collection of Topics
Mass Violence Resources (including active shooter):
Have additional resources to share? Contact us here.