Violence is just part of the job. Every nurse and healthcare worker experiences it at some point.Sentiments like this echo across American hospitals and healthcare facilities, capturing a disturbing and growing reality. Though Americans think of nursing as the most trusted profession, we often fail to see that its also one of the most dangerous.An alarming 8 in 10 nurses face violence at work. As a result, healthcare workers are more than four times as likely to be injured by workplace violence than workers in all other industries combined.Despite these staggering numbers, the full extent of this epidemic may not be fully understood because nurses and other healthcare workers chronically underreport violent encounters. The American Nurses Association estimates that only 20% to 60% of incidents are accounted for. Additionally, there is no agreed-upon definition for workplace violence or clear way of tracking it on a national level.As a practicing bedside nurse, I have experienced my fair share of workplace violence. As a professor of nursing, my research shows that violence has become a normalized but underreported part of working in healthcare and that it affects the care patients receive in pervasive ways.What really counts as workplace violence in healthcare?When people think about workplace violence, they often imagine dramatic physical assaults. Assaults do happen, but violence directed at workers can take many other forms, including verbal threats, intimidation, sexual aggression, and bullying.What makes defining and measuring workplace violence especially difficult in healthcare settings is the range of people involved. Violence may stem from patients, their families, coworkers, or even disgruntled members of the public.Nurses and healthcare staff work with people during incredibly stressful moments in their lives. Sometimes patients are experiencing medical conditions that may cause them to act out or be confused, such as dementia, delirium, psychosis, or even postoperative reactions to anesthesia.Some healthcare organizations use vague definitions, such as workplace violence is any violent act or threat of violence, while nursing organizations advocate for tiered definitions delineating between perpetrator and intent.Although not all employees can recite their organizations official definition of workplace violence, ask a nurse whether they have ever experienced a threatening situation at work and they will likely have stories at the ready. In my 14 years of nursing practice, nurses shared many different types of threatening encounters. They reported being screamed at by distraught visitors and having their hair and wrists grabbed by patients who are trying to bite or spit at them. I have personally experienced having objects thrown at me from across the room and being threatened with retribution by patients family members.Nurses also shared more extreme experiences in which they or their coworkers were injured in the course of trying to simply deliver care. Many described the emotional impact of watching a coworker hurt badly enough to require medical attention.From my observations, its not just the major incidents but the countless small threats or insensitive behaviors that add up over a nurses career. These seemingly less-threatening events are much harder to document, and many nurses shrug them off, but the small infractions take a toll when they happen repeatedly.Breaking the culture of silenceA culture of silence makes such incidents hard to track.The medical-surgical nursing unit at the hospital where I conducted my research has a healthy and supportive culture. Yet in my ongoing doctoral work, which will be published in May, of the 74% percent of staff that acknowledged experiencing workplace violence in the past year, only 30% reported the event.When nurses stay silent, whether from fear, futility or institutional pressure, violence becomes an accepted part of the job. Without accurate data, healthcare facilities dont understand the true extent of the problem, cant implement effective safety measures, and struggle to support their workers in meaningful ways.There are common themes as to why nurses underreport violence. Some nurses think reporting does not make a difference. Others find the lack of clarity in defining workplace violence or reporting policies demotivating and confusing.Nurses also report a lack of support from management, a fear of reprisal, or a sense of shame when reporting. Commonly, many nurses simply find reporting tools to be too difficult and time-consuming to use.The hidden costs to healthcareFor healthcare workers, the consequences extend far beyond physical injuries.Workplace violence in all its forms contributes to anxiety, depression or PTSD, as well as job dissatisfaction. Dangerous workplace violence trends are a contributing factor in 55% of healthcare workers feeling burned out and 18% of newly licensed registered nurses leaving the profession within the first year.That is a huge problem, considering that the United States is projected to have 193,100 nursing job openings per year until 2032, yet will produce only roughly 177,400 new nurses in that time frame. This also has vast repercussions for patient care.During my nursing career, I observed my peers developing complex strategies to protect themselves while trying to provide compassionate care. Like me, they tended to carefully position themselves near doorways, maintained constant awareness of their surroundings and silently assessed each new interaction for potential risks.These invisible precautions reflect the far-reaching effects of healthcare violence. When nurses are hypervigilant about their safety, they have less emotional energy for patient care. When theyre rushing between rooms due to short staffing caused by violence-related turnover, they have less time for each patient. When they are worried about what the next patient encounter may bring, they are increasing their anxiety, fear, and stress rather than focusing on delivering quality care.Creating safer healthcare togetherEach healthcare visit is a chance for patients and their families to improve nursing care for everyone.When you visit a hospital or clinic, try to understand the stress that healthcare workers are under and express your needs and concerns calmly. You never know what your nurse is dealing with in their interactions with other patients. They try to compartmentalize and give you their full attention, but they might also be experiencing a difficult and traumatic situation right next door.It also helps to share information that might be relevant to caring for your family member, such as whether their medical condition is causing them to act differently than normal. And you should speak up if you witness any forms of aggressive behavior. These actions might seem small, but they support healthcare staff and help prevent violence in healthcare settings.Nurses are trained to keep information private, to be problem-solvers and to bear the burden of the job, so they dont always seek support. If you have a nurse or healthcare worker in your family or circle of friends, let them know you care. Supporting their safety validates their work and leads to better care for everyone.Jason Blomquist is an assistant professor of nursing at Boise State University.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The war in Gaza has come with an awful cost. Tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians have been killed, and thousands more are missing. And while a temporary ceasefire has allowed for increased aid delivery, easing the plight of those facing disease and hunger, experts predict malnutrition and health issues to persist for months or even years.Much of the territorys infrastructureits schools, hospitals, and homeshas been damaged or destroyed. And yet, the tremendous human and societal loss has been augmented by a lesser reported but potentially catastrophic consequence: environmental devastation.In June 2024, the United Nations Environment Programme conducted an environmental impact assessment to evaluate the damage resulting from Israeli military actions in Gaza. It found unprecedented levels of destruction from the intensive bombing campaign, along with the complete collapse of water and solid waste systems, and widespread contamination of the soil, water, and air. And that was before another six months of bombing caused further damage to Gaza.As a scholar of environmental justice, I have thought carefully about the impact that a lack of clean water, access to sanitation facilities, and the absence of basic infrastructure can have on a community, particularly vulnerable and marginalized populations. The current pause in fighting is providing respite for the 2.2 million people in Gaza who have endured more than a year of war. It also provides an opportunity to evaluate the environmental damage to the densely populated enclave in three crucial areas: the water, sanitation and hygiene sector, or WASH; air quality; and waste management.Here is what we know so far:WASH sectorAccording to an interim damage assessment released by the World Bank, U.N., and EU in March 2024, an estimated US$502.7 million of damage was inflicted on the WASH sector in Gaza in the initial months of bombing, including damage to approximately 57% of the water infrastructure.The United Nations reported that water desalination plants in Gaza, 162 water wells, and two of the three water connections with Israels national water provider had been severely damaged.As a result, the amount of available water in Gaza was at that point reduced to roughly 28 liters per person per daybelow the World Health Organization emergency daily minimum of 15 liters and far below its standard recommendation of 50100 liters per day.In November 2024, meanwhile, the charity Oxfam reported that all five wastewater treatment plants in Gaza had been forced to shut down, along with the majority of its 65 wastewater pumping stations. This resulted in ongoing discharges of raw, untreated sewage into the environment. As of June 2024, an estimated 15.8 million gallons of wastewater has been discharged into the environment in and around Gaza, according to the U.N. environmental report.Meanwhile, sanitation facilities for Palestinians in Gaza are practically nonexistent. Reporting from U.N. Women states that people in Gaza routinely walk long distances and then wait for hours just to use a toilet, and due to the lack of water, these toilets cannot be flushed or cleaned.Smoke and clouds of dust rise after an Israeli attack in Gaza City on Jan. 5, 2025. [Photo: Khalil Ramzi Alkahlut/Anadolu/Getty Images]Air qualityThe air quality in Gaza has been drastically impacted by this war. NASA satellite imagery from the first few months of the war found that approximately 165 fires were recorded in Gaza from October 2023 to January 2024.With a shortage of electricity, residents have been forced to burn various materials, including plastics and household waste, for cooking and heating. And this has contributed to a dangerous decline in air quality.Meanwhile, large amounts of dust, debris, and chemical releases have been produced from explosions and the destruction of infrastructure, leading to significant air pollution. In February 2024, the U.N. Mine Action Service estimated that, in the first few months of the war alone, more than 25,000 tons of explosives had been used, equivalent to two nuclear bombs.Waste managementIn the first six months of bombardment, more than 39 million tons of debris were generated, much of it likely to contain harmful contaminants, including asbestos, residue from explosives, and toxic medical waste.Human remains are also mixed in with this debris, with estimates that over 10,000 bodies remain under the rubble. Moreover, the three main landfills in the Gaza Strip have been closed and are unable to receive waste or conflict-related debris.Substantial damage has been done to five out of six solid waste management facilities, and solid waste continues to accumulate at camps and shelters, with an estimate of 1,100 to 1,200 tons being generated daily.The charge of ecocideWith such environmental destruction, claims of ecocide have been made against the Israeli government by international rights groups.Although not presently incorporated into the framework of international law, there have been recent efforts for ecocide to be added as a crime under the Rome Statute, the treaty that established the International Criminal Court. Indeed, a panel of experts in 2021 proposed a working definition of ecocide as unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and either widespread or long-term damage to the environment caused by those acts.To date, 15 countries have criminalized ecocide, and Ukraine is investigating Russia for ecocide for its destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in 2023.Various organizations, including the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, the University of California Global Health Institute, and the Womens International League for Peace and Freedom, have stated that the level of environmental devastation in Gaza reaches the proposed legal definition of ecocide.Although the Israeli government has not responded to these accusations, it has consistently stated that it has a right to defend itself and that it seeks to protect civilians as it conducts its military operations.Health impacts of environmental harmRegardless of whether the charge of ecocide applies to Israels bombardment of Gaza, the environmental impact, the spread of disease, and other harmful health impairments will be felt for years to come.The United Nations Relief and Works Agency reported an increase in hepatitis A in the enclave, from 85 cases before the current war to 107,000 cases in October 2024. The WHO has reported 500,000 cases of diarrhea and 100,000 cases of lice and scabies, along with the reemergence of polio.The lack of adequate WASH facilities has also disproportionately affected women and girls by interfering with basic menstrual hygiene, harming their mental and physical health.Meanwhile, the increased presence of dangerous air pollutants has led to increases in respiratory issues, including nearly one million acute respiratory illnesses. Presently, the most common respiratory ailments in Gaza are asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchitis, pneumonia, and lung cancer.Next stepsAs a licensed environmental engineer, I have never seen the scale of environmental destruction that has occurred in Gaza.While the situation is unprecedented, there are concrete steps that the international community can take to help Gazas environment recover. The three-stage ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which went into effect on January 19, 2025, is a promising first step. This agreement has allowed some Israeli hostages to be released and Palestinian detainees to return to their homes. It also allows for more humanitarian aid to enter Gaza to deal with the current food crisis and health emergency.Nevertheless, there are significant challenges ahead for the people of Gaza. First, the ceasefire agreement will need to holdand already there are signs of difficulty in implementing the agreement in full. Should fighting resume, that will close or delay the opportunity for engineers and surveyors to perform detailed, comprehensive field assessments.Meanwhile, the need for a post-conflict plan for Gaza has never been starker.Recovering from Gazas environmental devastation will require Israel and neighboring countries, as well as influential world powers such as the United States and the European Union, to work together to rebuild critical infrastructure, such as water and wastewater treatment plants and solid waste infrastructure. Moreover, to succeed, any long-term plan for the reconstruction of Gaza will need to prioritize the needs and perspectives of Palestinians themselves.Lesley Joseph is a research assistant professor of environmental engineering at the University of South Carolina.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The piano is probably one of the most cinematic musical instruments. When a character in a movie or TV show starts playing the keys, especially in a non musical kind of media, theres a pretty dramatic or even joyful effect. Its not just the sound but also the visuals of those black and white keys being played that adds some aesthetic. Now imagine the impact an all-black keys kind of piano can bring in real life. Designer: YamahaYamahas Torch 01 is a digital piano that is unique not just for its all-black keyboard but also for the materials used to create it. The main material is the rare wood Grenadilla or African Blackwood. Normally this wood is used for wind instruments like clarinets and oboes. However, 90% of it ends up as fuel. So instead of that waste, why not use the unused wood to create a visually striking and tactile kind of piano? Add to it natural oils for the hand-finished wooden parts and you get a pretty unique instrument. The Torch T01 is a visual and tactile delight. The instruments design emphasizes the natural beauty of wood, with hand-finished surfaces and intricate laser-engraved patterns. The attention to detail is evident in every aspect, reflecting Yamahas dedication to craftsmanship. The instruments aesthetic is one of understated elegance, with a focus on natural textures and organic forms. Its a piano that invites you to touch and play, creating a deep connection between the musician and the instrument. The Yamaha Torch T01 is a highly exclusive instrument, produced in limited quantities and sold via a lottery system in Japan. This exclusivity underscores its status as a collectors item and a symbol of Yamahas innovative approach to instrument design. The materials used are not just mere marketing gimmick for sustainability. The use of Grenadilla creates a unique tactile experience for the player. The keys, with their natural grain and warm hues, offer a distinct feel, and over time, their color will subtly evolve, creating a living, breathing instrument. While sustainability is at the forefront, Yamaha has not compromised on sound quality. The Torch T01 boasts the voices of Yamahas flagship CFX concert grand piano and the renowned Bsendorfer Imperial concert grand, delivering a rich and immersive sonic experience. Its also a reminder that sustainability and artistry can coexist, creating a harmonious future for music and the planet. This instrument is a shining example of how companies can innovate and create products that are both beautiful and good for the planet.The post Yamahas Torch T01s rare wood material create sustainable and aesthetic instrument first appeared on Yanko Design.

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Qi Yang/Getty Images Across industries and geographies, women leaders are challenging conventional ideas about leadershipwhat strength looks like, the best ways to help people understand each other, and how to get team members excited about the work theyre doing. Below are five women executives in talent and learning development who have played a key role in leadership development programs co-created by Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning (HBPCL) and their organizationswhether as participants, sponsors, or champions of these initiatives: Takiyah Gross-Foote, VP, Talent Management, Kimberly-Clark Ashwini Kapoor, HEAD FUNCTION Learning & Development, Wipro Limited Seanna McGough, EVP, Head of Learning []The post 5 Women Leaders Who Are Shaping the Future of Learning and Development appeared first on Harvard Business Publishing.

DNY59/Getty Images Successful leaders evolve and adapt their management strategy over time. Nearly two-thirds of the 1,134 learning and development and human resources professionals who participated in Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learnings 2024 Global Leadership Development Study said its important that leaders become more willing to adapt their behaviors to meet business needs. And more than half said its important that leaders improve their ability to drive business results in an environment of rapid change and uncertainty. In honor of International Womens Day, we asked five seasoned women executives across the talent industryall of whom have engaged with Harvard []The post 7 Leadership Lessons from Women Leading Change in Learning and Development appeared first on Harvard Business Publishing.