TMC Health's commitment to workplace safety
Clara Lovell
·
6/5/2025
#HAVhope is a National Day of Awareness highlighting how America’s hospitals and health systems combat violence in their workplaces and communities.
TMC Health has always put an emphasis on not only patient safety, but employee safety too. With the help of the TMC Health Workplace Violence Prevention Program and the Workplace Violence Prevention Workgroup, Tucson Medical Center reported a decrease in workplace violence incidents in 2024, compared to 2023.
“At Tucson Medical Center, we recognize the challenges of workplace violence in health care,” said Stewart Williams, RN, BSN, co-chair of the Workplace Violence Prevention Workgroup. “We’ve taken a stand in addressing both verbal altercations and physical incidents within our environment. We are supporting staff and those we care for in this area by maintaining a healing environment.”
To better understand the issue, the Workgroup surveyed employees to identify problem areas and gather firsthand insight. As a result, several improvements have been implemented, including:
- Enhanced workplace violence reporting
- Assessment and flagging of patients at high risk of violence and increasing security rounding
- Implementation of debriefing tools for minor and major events
- A new reporting process to support staff affected by violent incidents
- Improved security protocols for Emergency Department (ED) patient belongings
- Identification of high-risk patients requiring support staff
- Implementation of “Code Gray” to ensure timely response to behavioral outbursts
- Permanent flagging of high-risk patients
- Monthly multidisciplinary meetings with local hospital security leaders, emergency management coordinators, and law enforcement, including the Tucson Police Department, Pima County Sheriff’s Department, Border Patrol, FBI, and state and federal corrections officials
- Installation of metal detectors and an X-ray scanner to screen individuals entering the ED
- Implementation of the Vistelar De-escalation Program and the Behavioral Emergency Response Team (BERT)
The Workgroup is currently expanding its efforts to include behavioral threat assessment training, unit-specific action plans, visitor and patient behavioral contracts and enhanced domestic violence resources.
“We’ve expanded our focus to support employees impacted by domestic violence—because safety, respect, and well-being start with how we care for each other,” Williams said.
Through collaboration and proactive measures, TMC Health continues to ensure every patient and employee feels safe, supported and empowered.
