In a bipartisan vote Tuesday, the Pennsylvania House passed the Healthcare Workplace Violence Prevention Act, which would establish violence prevention committees in all hospitals.
The committees would be composed of at least half non-managerial workers to review all incidents and initiate needed policy changes to protect workers. Motivated by the recent shooting at University of Pittsburgh Memorial Center Hospital, the bill would also require hospitals to perform annual risk assessments to identify safety and security threats, as well as develop a prevention program to reduce and prevent violence.
Prior to the 124-79 vote, nurses from all over the state rallied at the Capitol to call on elected officials to pass the act. Many shared their personal experiences with workplace violence, and the group also called on lawmakers to pass a second hospital safety bill.
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“There’s a severe workforce crisis in the nursing profession, and the passage of the Healthcare Workplace Violence Prevention Act is an important step toward improving patient care, safety, and nurse retention in hospitals across the Commonwealth.” said Adam Burget, a nurse at Mount Nittany Medical Center and member of SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania. “Nurses also need our state to pass the Patient Safety Act, which would enact minimum staffing standards in our hospitals. Improving staffing is a vital part of the answer to the crisis in the nursing profession, and it’s the most crucial factor in allowing us to more effectively deescalate and avoid dangerous situations. A nurse who has been assigned eight patients may not see the signs of increasing agitation, aggression, or escalation until it’s too late. But a nurse with four patients can effectively round, provide excellent care, speak with families, and help create a safer environment in our hospitals.”
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare workers accounted for 73% of all non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses.
The legislation now goes before the Senate.
Vermont Governor Signs Similar Healthcare Workplace Violence Prevention Bill
Vermont Governor Phil Scott signed a similar bill into law last week aimed at mitigating hospital workplace violence.
Sponsored by Rep. Mari Cordes, House Bill 259 requires Vermont hospitals to create security plans and establish a team to advise on plan development, Becker’s Hospital Review reports. The development team must include healthcare workers who provide direct patient care and law enforcement personnel. Each hospital must also designate an employee trained in trauma-informed care and victim support to serve as a law enforcement liaison.
Hospital security plans must be developed based on a security risk assessment completed in consultation with the hospital’s medical and nursing department directors. The bill offers hospitals a framework for conducting the risk assessments and to help identify the best strategies to prevent violence based on patient volume, community crime, and law enforcement availability. Hospitals must also implement workplace violence incident reporting systems.
