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ER doctors report a rise in violence in emergency rooms

An ambulance outside a building
ArtisticOperations / Pixabay
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https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2020/01/18/17/30/ambulance-4775935_960_720.jpg
Assaults on healthcare workers in emergency departments are on the rise.

ER doctors report more violence in emergency rooms since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
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A new survey from the American College of Emergency Physicians shows violence aimed at healthcare workers is increasing in emergency rooms across the country.

ACEP President-Elect Chris King said this violence impacts all patients, and may cause people to leave the emergency room even though they are in need of care.

"That has a profound impact on the sense of duty that a lot of emergency departments have about seeing every patient as quickly and rapidly as possible, especially when we have waiting rooms that are full, when wait times are increased, and we have problems moving patients upstairs or elsewhere," he said.

King said some physicians have reported assaults multiple times in a week.

Steph Whiteside is a Digital Media News Specialist with WSIU radio in Carbondale, Ill. She previously worked as a general reporter at AJ+ and Current TV.
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