Workplace Violence: Why We Must Understand and Address It

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

4:25pm – 4:45pm ET

Location: Alhambra/Escorial - 2nd Level

CE: 0.25 CME Credit

Speaker(s)

Amanda J. Deutsch, MD (she/her/hers)

Director of Well-Being, Clinical Assistant Professor
Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

Co-Speaker(s)

Al'ai Alvarez, MD, FAAEM (he/him/his)

Director of Well-Being
Stanford Emergency Medicine
Palo Alto, California

Disclosure(s): No financial relationships to disclose

Disclosure(s):

Amanda J. Deutsch, MD: No financial relationships to disclose

Al'ai Alvarez, MD, FAAEM: No financial relationships to disclose

Workplace violence (WPV) is a daily reality in healthcare. This interactive session will define WPV and assess audience experiences to normalize its prevalence and impact. Participants will explore why addressing WPV is crucial for trainees, helping them recognize unsafe situations early in their careers. National data on healthcare WPV, its consequences, and the pressing need to address it for a sustainable, safe, and fulfilling career in Emergency Medicine will be discussed. The session will conclude with a review of current resources and proposed congressional bills aimed at mitigating WPV, along with actionable steps participants can take to advocate for change and improve safety in their own institutions.

Learning Objectives:

After this session, the learner will be able to define workplace violence and acknowledge its pervasiveness in the emergency department.
After this session, the learner will be able to recommend why we must acknowledge and confront the workplace violence we see in the department.
After this session, the learner will be able to develop a plan moving forward to interact safely with patients and staff to have a sustainable career in emergency medicine.