Occupational Safety and Health Workplace Violence Coursework

Occupational Safety and Health Workplace Violence - Coursework Example Increased use of hospitals by police and other criminal justice systems for unlawful holds and an increasing number of releasing the mentally ill without proper follow-ups program also presents a threat. Work-related violence has been coupled with reduced productivity, absenteeism, increased turnover, increased counseling costs, reduced value of life and decreased staff morale (CDC, 2006). Another outcome of the abuse at the workplace is the deterioration in the quality of patient healthcare. The tangible or visible impacts of violence at the workplace are disability accompanying physical injuries, but aggression has other, less apparent effects. Nurses have described reduced job performance, difficulty sleeping, chronic pain, declining morale, flashbacks, and nightmares have in the aftermath of workplace violence (CDC, 2006). The physically injured nurses frequently fail to seek out treatment for the injuries. Psychological, as well as emotional impacts, include the feelings of helplessness, fear of recurrent attack, sadness, and irritability. In addition, there is an actual, human cost associated with workplace violence (OSHA, 2004). For example, the nurses who get assaulted exhibi t higher degrees of anxiety, depression, substance abuse and post-traumatic stress disorders, and this are human resources that were lost. Impacts of workplace violence mostly reported through media are incidences that result in non-fatal yet solemn injuries. Statistics have shown that workplace violence is a significant threat to health care and social workers. Bureau of Labor and Statistics data has shown that most of the injuries from assaults at work result in absentees in the health care and social work settings (CDC, 2006). Additionally, workers given inadequate support following a violent incident, might leave or be frightened to return to work.