www.oltca.com LONG TERM CARE TODAY 25 QUALITY & INNOVATION AWARDS 2018 in hiring is key. Staff have told us how the interaction has touched them, how powerful it is to look at that resident and say ‘I will be here for you and I’m committed to providing you with great care.’” F.J. DAVEY HOME: ADDRESSING WORKPLACE VIOLENCE The F.J. Davey Home in Sault Ste. Marie has taken a number of steps over the years to provide its staff with the resources and training to enjoy a positive and healthy workplace. That includes promoting open communication, enforcing policies that uphold the respect and safety of its staff, and ensuring leadership is available to assist staff in dealing with difficult issues and events. Supporting staff by addressing workplace violence is a particular focus for F.J. Davey. Workplace violence is an issue throughout health care and F.J. Davey’s leadership committed to developing and maintaining a workplace culture where workers are treated with respect by managers, coworkers, residents and members of the public, and where incidents are dealt with promptly and effectively as they arise. “Health care workers are at high risk of violence and harassment in the workplace and yet it’s become very normalized,” says Kerry Gartshore, Staff Educator. The home enforces a “zero tolerance” policy regarding violence against staff and conducts regular awareness and training activities. In particular, the home’s Joint Health & Safety Team conducted a body mapping exercise where staff identified the areas of the body where they had been affected by workplace violence and harassment. The results were analyzed and used to inform a Violence in the Workplace Presentation by the staff, which was later presented to other homes in the region and to the Local Health Integration Network. “These activities created a big shift for our staff in knowing that management was listening, that they were encouraged to report incidents, and that the home really cared about them working in a safe and healthy work environment,” says Gartshore. Thanks in large part to these initiatives, the home reports a dramatic increase in staff morale and engagement and a positive energy that has enabled it to move forward with more team and culture-building initiatives. It has also had an effect on staff recruitment and retention. The home received 95% on their 2017 Safety Group Audit Report. Building a strong workplace culture is an ongoing mission. F.J. Davey’s progress to date is attributed to keeping both staff and residents alike constantly in the loop about culture-change initiatives, giving staff opportunities for professional development, and celebrating the F.J. DAVEY’S FINDINGS ON WORKPLACE VIOLENCE •  Violence includes physical and psychological actions •  Impacts on staff include an increase in sick time, loss of motivation, fatigue and apathy • Understaffing contributes to resident frustration, boredom, fear and anger which can lead to aggression toward health care staff •  As a result of resident violence, health care workers suffer psychological distress RECOMMENDED PREVENTION STRATEGIES INCLUDE: •  Training to diffuse violent situations •  Enact and enforce a “zero tolerance” policy regarding violence against staff •  Support, establish, and maintain a violence-free workplace culture team’s many achievements. In addition, adds Gartshore, the team has relied on strong communication and buy-in from all team members. “We’ve created an atmosphere where staff are treated with respect, and they have the proper supports and services required to help do their jobs well. Despite a health care staffing shortage, we are having success with recruitment and retention.” LTCT F.J. Davey