Professionals in the healthcare industry have a lot of flexibility and potential. As they work with people, their services are required everywhere. Because of this, many healthcare workers need to work alone and away from their colleagues.
And as many people know, such jobs come with certain hazards. There are lots of things that can happen in a healthcare facility that could harm or hurt an employee. Violent attacks are at the top of this list and such incidents are, in fact, on the rise. Records show that the number of incidents of physical aggression on nurses and doctors jumped 24% in 2017 from the previous year.
Working alone can intensify these dangers. Without colleagues around, healthcare workers are become more vulnerable to physical and verbal aggression as well as accidents.
These are the very reasons why lone worker safety is a pressing concern for this industry as of late. Fortunately, the authorities are taking special measures to provide additional protection to those who work by their lonesome. With the help of modern technology, lone workers in the healthcare sector can be protected by their employers and feel safer in general.
How? Most lone worker safety devices are designed to provide the necessary assistance an individual needs in case of emergency. They may not seem like much, but upon closer inspection, it’s easy to see how they can be beneficial for lone workers. To better elaborate, here’s a list of the different ways lone worker devices provide protection to those who work alone.
How Lone Worker Devices Help Provide Safety to Healthcare Professionals
There are two major ways a lone worker safety device prove to be very useful for healthcare professionals who work alone:
They provide a quick and effective way for employees to call for help.
A lot of healthcare workers in the UK provide home care services to patients. Some work as private nurses, physical therapists, and even caregivers. They’re often left alone with their client or patient without any other healthcare professional around.
While most professionals don’t have any difficulties carrying out their tasks on their own, everything changes when situations become dangerous. A lone worker can be easily overwhelmed by physical aggression. Without another professional nearby, it can be difficult for the lone worker to manage the situation. They can get injured or their patient can get hurt in such cases.
With a lone worker device, the user can quickly ask for help. Sure, some may argue that they can take action with a mobile phone, but it’s not really the same. Lone worker devices serve as instant lines to their employers so a single press of a button can already let you ask for help. You can’t easily do the same with a mobile phone.
They’re useful in locating workers.
Due to the mobile nature of the lone worker’s line of work, there may be times where they need to be tracked in order to execute a rescue. It can also come in handy for managers and supervisors who want to closely monitor their employees’ whereabouts while they’re on the clock.
While there are threats that make working alone a challenge, employers can just turn to technology to provide their employees with some protection and security.
