Bill Aiming to Curb Workplace Violence in Healthcare Facilities Clears Pennsylvania House

The Healthcare Workplace Violence Prevention Act, a piece of legislation aimed at providing more security and safety for healthcare professionals at work, has passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives with a bipartisan vote.

Nurses, Pennsylvania State Nurses Association (PSNA) members and other healthcare officials gathered at the Capitol Tuesday to speak out about the violence they’ve faced while at work.

“I walked in here feeling safer than I ever feel at work,” said registered nurse Lauren Harris.

The legislation now goes before the Senate, where if passed, it would require hospitals to establish workplace violence prevention committees and perform annual risk assessment reports.

The PSNA provided specific examples of violent incidents occurring at healthcare facilities throughout the state and displayed images showcasing the injuries endured by nurses during their work duties.

"She suffered a blow to the chest, was strangled until she lost consciousness, and had to be admitted to the hospital," explained PSNA CEO Wayne E. Reich Jr., detailing an incident.

This legislation would additionally mandate that health care institutions maintain documentation and reports related to violent events. Health care professionals have stated that currently, there isn’t an obligatory regulation compelling hospitals to document these occurrences.

There have been instances where I've been attacked and chose not to take action," Harris stated. "What would have been the use? So, people tell me what I should have done differently... Shall we conduct an additional training session?

People against the bill argued that documenting these occurrences does not prevent the aggression.

“A different state agency is stepping in for regulation purposes, which seems entirely excessive. Ultimately, this does nothing to prevent the violence,” stated Republican Representative Seth Grove.

The Democratic proposal stated that 22 Republicans supported the bill; however, those who opposed it argued that should the bill make it through the Senate, it would create additional issues for hospitals grappling with difficult fiscal choices.

"It imposes strict fines, legal remedies, substantial expenses, I believe, with minimal benefit," Grove stated.

Grove informed CBS 21 that when he cast his vote against the bill, representatives proposed an alternate solution aimed at enhancing workplace safety and liability issues without imposing additional regulatory burdens on hospitals. He mentioned that these institutions are already grappling with numerous constraining regulations.

As per information from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare employees made up 73% of all nonfatal work-related injuries and illnesses when this data was most recently gathered.

Reich said the reason a bill like this has not been put in place to protect healthcare workers is simple: “Hospitals don’t like to be told what to do, and I think hospitals might believe that they are doing everything that they can."