Florida Cracks Down on Violence Against Hospital Workers with Tougher Penalties

To protect hospital workers, Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a new law that increases criminal penalties for those who knowingly commit assault or battery against them. 

This means that assailants will now face more severe charges, with battery becoming a felony of the third degree and aggravated assault and battery becoming even more serious felonies. 

The state House and Senate both approved the bill, which will go into effect on October 1.

Workplace Violence (Videos)

Workplace violence is a severe problem that can have tragic consequences. 

According to the CDC, there are four main types of workplace violence: criminal intent, client-on-worker violence, worker-on-worker violence, and personal relationship violence.

Criminal intent refers to acts of violence committed to harm others, regardless of the relationship between the perpetrator and the victim. Example: 

• a nurse assaulted in the hospital parking garage;
• a home health care nurse is mugged while conducting a home visit.

Client-on-worker violence occurs when a client or customer becomes violent towards a worker. Research shows that this type of violence occurs most frequently in emergency and psychiatric treatment settings, waiting rooms, and geriatric settings but is by no means limited to these.

 

Worker-on-worker violence occurs when two employees become involved in a physical or verbal altercation. It includes bullying and frequently manifests as verbal and emotional abuse that is unfair, offensive, vindictive, and/or humiliating, though it can range to homicide.

Personal relationship violence is when someone uses violence to control or threaten someone with whom they have a personal relationship, such as a spouse or partner. For example, the husband of a nurse follows her to work, orders her home, and threatens her. 

Workplace violence can profoundly impact both the victims and witnesses of the act itself and the work environment as a whole. 

It is important for employers to be aware of the risks of workplace violence and to take steps to prevent it from happening.

Lawmakers Move Forward to Protect Healthcare Workers From Assault (Video)

Violence against healthcare workers has recently been highlighted by healthcare organizations across the U.S., which ask patients to show kindness and patience to staff. It's also picking up steam among state legislators, who are introducing bills to protect healthcare staff.

This article was originally published in Becker's Hospital Review.

I've made many videos regarding violence in the hospitals and believe that this issue needs to be addressed.

A Physician Was Stabbed - And No One Helped (Video)

A Physician was stabbed at a Pennsylvania hospital, and although, according to the doctor, there were multiple witnesses, no one stepped in to help. 

Violence in a hospital is nothing new. Patients attack (it could be the medication that they are on), visitors attack (emotions play a large part), and co-workers attack (although very rare because most are licensed and are not willing to lose it over.....anybody).

So, watch the video and tell me if you've ever witnessed violence firsthand as a Unit Secretary.

Violence and the Health Unit Coordinator (Video)

Anyone in the medical field will have to deal with violent patients, visitors, and family.

It might be expected from patients whose minds may have been altered by the medication they were given. We all know those patients who claim to see bugs crawling on the ceiling or someone over in the corner.

However, getting verbal threats and physical contact from family and visitors is unacceptable.

With the rise of active shooters in the country, it is necessary, more now than ever, to be vigilant and know when to call security.

Or when to call the police. 

How to Deal with Violent Patients/Visitors as a Health Unit Coordinator (Video)

 

        This is a subject that anyone who works in a hospital knows well, and that is violent patients and, in rare cases, violent family members.

    All employers must provide for the safety of their patients, employees, visitors, and doctors. With that said, we as employees must always ensure we protect ourselves.

   As a Health Unit Coordinator, I don't argue with anyone who is unreasonable and is looking for a fight. I always use my “Chain of Command” and involve my immediate supervisor (usually when the patient/visitor is at the nursing station). If the situation gets out of hand, I will call security and ask them to come to the unit.

    There was a situation where a visitor was totally out of control for two days, and everyone was scared to say anything to him because they were afraid that it would “set him off.” I was off those two days, but when I came back, it had totally escalated to the point that one of my coworkers was calling the police, and the administration was forced to take it seriously.

    We were so scared that we all had escape routes planned.

   We should not have to live in fear when we clock into work, but we should also be aware of our surroundings and be ready to run if necessary.