Threats, injuries, assaults, there are almost 5,000 episodes of violence in the ward in the last three years, about 1,600 a year and in 7 cases out of 10 the victim is a woman. These are alarming numbers, the bulletin of a war that is consumed every day in the ward, those that emerge on the occasion of the National Day of Education and Prevention against Violence against Health and Social Health Workers which is celebrated today, March 12.

"The number of incidents of assault against health workers is dangerously increasing. This is a serious cultural problem that must be stopped - said the Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci - For this reason we are starting an awareness campaign and we have increased, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Interior, the number of police stations at hospital facilities ".

#laviolenzanoncura, the Ministry of Health campaign starts

"Violence will not make you feel better, a doctor, a nurse or an operator will", is the message that wants to reiterate the awareness campaign of the Ministry of Health that aims to intervene also on the cultural aspect, emphasizing that the health worker is the person who helps and not the target of aggressions. "The Italian health system - added the minister - is very valid operators are the best in the world and we try to defend it to ensure equal assistance for all regardless of the region in which they live".

In addition to informing and communicating, we must act on several fronts: "it is important - Schillaci recalled - also to combat the shortage of doctors, making the health professions more attractive, increasing wages and making the workplace safer and better". "At the same time, however, we must also reduce improper access to emergency and urgency departments because today from 60% to 80% of those who go to the emergency room, do so inappropriately".

According to Dr. Fnomceo, about 68% of health workers in their lifetime have been victims of an episode of violence

To stop the escalation, a law was approved in 2020, in the wake of the Covid pandemic, which provides for an increase in criminal sanctions in case of violence against health professionals and an ad hoc Observatory was established. "About 68% of health workers in the course of their lives - says Filippo Anelli, president of the Medical Orders (Fnomceo) - has been the victim of at least one episode of violence, from psychiatric clinics to night guards: it would be central to provide the figure of a mediator able to explain to citizens, in moments of tension that may occur in places of care, what is happening. And then we need to return the right time to the treatment, which is impossible when the patients are many and too few health care workers".

Nurses, every year 125 thousand unreported violence

Nurses are the category most affected by assaults while doing their work. Unfortunately, however, the figures are much worse than those that have emerged publicly even in recent days. This is what the National Federation of Nursing Professions Orders denounces. A survey carried out by eight universities, led by Genoa, on nurses who have suffered physical or verbal violence highlights that compared to the approximately 5 thousand cases reported in a year there are 26 times more, about 125,000, not registered. Even more serious is that 75% of them are violence involving women and that in about 40% of cases it was physical violence. Real aggressions that have left their mark: "33% of victims fell into burnout situations and 10.8% have permanent damage on a physical or psychological level".

"The complaints are much less than the real ones, because now verbal aggressions are practically no longer reported, which, however, in the long run, translate into stress, burnout and abandonment of the profession", underlines Barbara Mangiacavalli, president of the Order of Nursing Professions (Fnopi).

Inail, "in 3 years 5,000 attacks on health workers, 70% women"

Almost 5,000 episodes of aggression in the ward in three years, or about 1,600 a year, from threats to more or less serious injuries. And in 7 out of 10 cases the victim is a woman. These are the data of the actuarial statistical consultancy Inail. A "worrying phenomenon", according to the Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci, who recalls the increase in police posts at hospitals, but at the same time invites citizens to reduce improper access to the emergency room. The data on accidents at work were ascertained by Inail and codified as aggressions and threats against health personnel, in the three-year period 2019-2021 they were exactly 4,821. From night guards to emergency rooms. 71% involved women, while 39% of cases involved health workers from 35 to 49 years, 37% from 50 to 64 years. The profession most affected is that of nurses and educators engaged with drug addicts, alcoholics. They follow, with 29% of cases, social and health workers. More detached, with 3%, the category of doctors.

AnaaoAssomed, "is war bulletin. 1 in 3 willing to change jobs"

"The violence against health workers has become a real daily 'war bulletin'. The time has come to follow the intentions with the actions", says in a note the national secretary of the union of doctors and health managers Anaao Assomed, Pierino Di Silverio, on the occasion of the National Day of Education and Prevention against Violence against Health and Social-Health Workers. "From our recent survey - underlines the secretary of Anaao Assomed - it was found that 1 in 3 is willing to change jobs".

Federsanità and Simeu together "to cure violence"

Federsanità and the Society of Emergency and Urgency Medicine (Simeu) focus on the dissemination of good practices: from training on how to develop empathy with patients to regulatory tools to protect themselves, up to coaching on how to behave in case of aggression. There are 92 prevention projects implemented in hospitals in 17 regions that have been selected thanks to the "Treating violence" initiative, which will now disseminate these best practices through 4 virtual information spaces.