A joint report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Nursing Up union highlighted an alarming fact: the number of reports of verbal harassment, discrimination, and physical assaults against healthcare workers is worryingly increasing. In Italy, according to the data collected, one nurse in ten has suffered physical violence in the workplace, while 4% have even been threatened with a firearm in the past year. Even more concerning is that 79% of the victims are women, often working night shifts or in high-tension contexts. Already in 2019, Nursing Up had issued an appeal to the institutions, calling for the restoration of permanent police stations inside hospitals, a measure that was once present in many Italian healthcare facilities. In addition, the union has activated an anti-violence help desk in Emilia-Romagna and organized numerous flash mobs to raise public awareness about this growing phenomenon. According to the President of Nursing Up, Antonio De Palma, the causes of violence are not only attributable to individual behavior, but are rooted in structural and organizational shortcomings of public healthcare. Overcrowded wards, long waits for visits and diagnoses, and even issues related to meal management can generate tensions that, in some cases, escalate into assaults. The WHO and Nursing Up have put forward a series of concrete proposals to curb the phenomenon: Official complaint by healthcare companies in the event of assaults, with automatic establishment as a civil party in criminal proceedings. Establishment of dedicated observatories in every healthcare company to monitor and analyze the phenomenon, providing, if necessary, a 24-hour surveillance service. Strengthening of the Anti-Violence Bill, with more incisive regulatory tools. Restoration of permanent police stations in major hospitals. These are shareable, concrete, and urgent proposals that deserve the attention and immediate action of the institutions. Violence against those who care for others every day can no longer be tolerated or ignored. Nursing Up always at the forefront to protect all healthcare professionals: nurses, OSS, midwives, physiotherapists, technicians, etc. LapaginadiNursingUpOne Nurse in Ten Physically Assaulted.
Proposals to Counter Violence
