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How to avoid violence as a doctor

Follow these steps to avoid violence as a professional.

Steps:

  • Don't overreach [Go beyond what you know]
  • Proper Consent
  • Documentation
  • Develop communication skills
  • Be alert
  • Look for STAMP
    • S - Staring & eye contact
    • T - Tone and volume
    • A - Anxiety
    • M - Mumbling
    • P - Pacing

In case violence occurs:

  • Do not meet anger with anger. Remain calm in the face of provocation and let things blow over.
  • Depute someone (preferably beforehand) to take photographs and, even, audio/video records of the violence.
  • Depute someone to immediately (preferably as part of the SOP) get the medical record of the patient photocopied. If the mob carries away the original record, the photocopies will be useful.
  • Inform your lawyer.
  • Inform the police immediately by phone, etc. and keep a record 📕 of such phone 📞 call, etc.
  • Identify the troublemakers/leaders in the mob.
  • Get written, signed statements from the persons present (doctors, staff, patients, relatives, others) regarding the occurrence of violence.
  • Lodge an FIR with the police👮.
  • When making a police complaint the doctor😷 /hospital should make sure that a request is made to register an FIR under the relevant Act for protection of medical personnel.
  • Do not try to `settle' the issue by paying hush money 💰 (more often than not it is taken as admission of guilt).