NURSES UNDER ATTACK!

BLAKE'S TAKE

Caregiving Comes With a Dose of Assault

By Nurse Blake

PUNCHED, STABBED, SHOT — WAIT! IS THIS NURSING OR A COMBAT ZONE?

THIS IS SERIOUS SHIT — our safety on the job. It’s not enough that we’re dealing with nursing shortage, staffing ratios, and PT not putting patients back in bed. We’re also dealing with assaults on the frontlines!

Over the past years, nurses have been victims of horrific violence while on the job. They’ve been shot, stabbed, strangled, and worse. The stories keep pouring in from everywhere, and they’re heartbreaking.

In September 2023, a psychiatric nurse was in critical condition after being brutally attacked by a patient. Tragedy struck Dallas Methodist Medical Center in October 2022 when a gunman killed a nurse and a social worker. These are just recent incidents, and they’re not isolated. And for each assault reported, many more cases of violence and intimidation go unmentioned.

What the hell is going on? How did we get here? And, more importantly, how do we stop this from happening over and over? We’re nurses, damn it, not targets! And, once again, it’s up to us to take a stand — for ourselves and our patients.

STATS THAT MAKE YOU GO ‘WTF?!’

The statistics are crazy! Check this out: Nurses and other healthcare professionals are WAY more likely to be injured from violence at work than other professions. I’m talking 5 times more likely, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics! A 2019 American Nurses Association (ANA) survey found that 1 out of every 4 nurses was physically attacked.

The statistics are crazy! Nurses are five times more likely to be injured from violence at work. That’s nearly 60 attacks on nurses every single day!

Get this: A whopping 3 out of 4 reported workplace attacks happened in healthcare settings. Even crazier — more than 2 nursing personnel experience workplace violence every hour! Punches, verbal assaults, kicks, stabs, gunshots, and things thrown at us all while doing our job. That’s nearly 60 attacks on nurses every single day!

Psych units, ED, and, guess what, even pediatric units (yep, pediatric burn, rehab, and surgery) take the cake for the highest number of healthcare assaults. Who’d have thought, right? And you know it’s not just patients throwing punches. Family members, co-workers, visitors, and even random intruders join the violence club.

BRUISED, BEATEN, AND BURNT OUT

Of course, this nurse abuse madness affects us physically and mentally. The consequences are no joke! How are we supposed to provide patient care when we’re abused, burnt out, and looking over our shoulders for the next attack? It’s not just me saying it; studies confirm that workplace violence affects quality of care, job satisfaction, and leads to psychological issues. You think?

And that leads me to my next point: Workplace violence drives nurses to leave the bedside! So all these assaults aren’t just hurting us individually — they’re screwing over the whole healthcare system! Short staffing is already a huge problem without nurses quitting from physical trauma.

And believe it or not, the actual numbers on hospital violence are likely even higher than reported. So many incidents go unreported because it’s become normalized. “Oh, that patient threw a cup of urine at me, no big deal.” No! We must report EVERY incident so hospital leaders can wake up and address this crisis!

HEY CONGRESS! WHAT’S THE HOLDUP?

So — not once, but twice now — the House has passed a law to crack down on violence against nurses. It’s called the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, and it would force hospitals to get their acts together to protect us. They’d be required to create prevention plans and investigate all violent incidents (no more sweeping under the rug!).

The ANA is giving this bill a thumbs-up. They know it will create accountability for unsafe hospitals that stick their heads in the sand. Dr. Grant, President of the ANA, said, “ANA applauds the members of Congress who remain committed to keeping this issue at the forefront and working toward a solution for the well-being of our nation’s nurses.”

This law would be a huge step for healthcare safety. But, the American Hospital Association is throwing shade. So, for now, the Senate is stalling. I think it’s because they get to keep taking money from hospital lobbyists. I mean, nurses’ lives are at stake, but why would they care, right?

There’s another bill — Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees (SAVE) Act — on the table proposing to treat violence against healthcare workers as a federal crime. Fingers crossed, it gets the green light!

Violence creates an unsafe environment where nobody wins.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: OUR SAFETY IS NOT NEGOTIABLE

First things first: We need better safety at hospitals, period! I mean metal detectors, more security guards, panic buttons, the works! It’s not right that we face more dangers than nightclub bouncers. It’s time for hospitals to put their money where their mouths are on nurse safety.

Next: All nurses need de-escalation and self-defense training, free of charge. I know we didn’t sign up for this shit, but here we are. We should know how to verbally diffuse tense situations and physically protect ourselves. And I’m not talking about just an online module (side eye). Hospitals need to step up their game, give us in-person courses and everything else needed to keep us safe.

We also HAVE to call for zero-tolerance policies on violence. If patients or visitors get abusive, they need to get kicked out on the spot and a police report should be filed. No more excuses or slaps on the wrist!

If things are getting wild, don’t brave it alone. Call Security, leave the area, and figure out where the quick exits are. Follow your organization’s procedure — if they have one and it makes sense. YOUR safety comes first, nurses!

If the worst happens and you’re attacked, report it immediately! Don’t downplay it. File detailed reports, take pictures of injuries, and demand workplace safety improvements. Make sure everything is in writing. You might save the next nurse’s life.

And don’t forget to take care of yourself after an incident, okay? Talk to a counselor, take a leave of absence, and join a support group. Whatever it takes to process that trauma, do it. YOU matter — don’t just shove it down and carry on.

NO, WORKPLACE VIOLENCE IS NOT PART OF THE JOB!

Violence creates an unsafe environment where nobody wins. Nurses are physically and emotionally affected. Patients suffer from disruption in their care due to understaffing. So when your nurse manager says, “It’s just part of the job, tough it out,” it’s bullshit! You don’t have to! We didn’t sign up to be punching bags, and we sure as hell shouldn’t settle for that.

No nurse should clock in wondering if they’ll be assaulted today or, worse, if they’ll return home safely to their family. We deserve a workplace free of that kind of stress.

So, here’s what you can do: Call, email, and let your senators know we need those bills passed ASAP! Waiting for basic safety protections? Not on our shifts!!

Let’s break the cycle of silence, support each other, and demand REAL change — our lives depend on it!

QUICK FACTS

• Nurses and healthcare professionals are 5 times more likely to be injured from violence at work.

• 1 out of every 4 nurses was physically attacked, according to a 2019 ANA survey.

• 3 out of 4 reported workplace assaults happen in healthcare settings.

• The real numbers on hospital violence are likely even higher due to underreporting.

• Workplace violence affects quality of care, job satisfaction, and leads to psychological issues.

• The House has passed the Workplace Violence Prevention Act twice, but the Senate is stalling.

• The SAVE Act proposes treating violence against healthcare workers as a federal crime.

SOURCES

American Hospital Association. 2021. AHA Expresses Concern with the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act (H.R. 1195).

American Nurses Association. ANA Supports HR 1195/S 4182 to Protect Nurses from Violence in Their Workplace.

American Nurses Association. Workplace Violence in Nursing: Dangerous & Underreported. Business Wire. 2022. On Average, Two Nurses Are Assaulted Every Hour, New Press Ganey Analysis Finds.

Congress.gov. H.R.1195 - Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act.

Congress.gov. H.R.7961 - SAVE Act.

Joint Commission. 2018. Sentinel Event Alert. Physical and verbal violence against health care workers.

The Dallas Morning News. 2022. Terror, chaos erupt inside Dallas Methodist hospital during police standoff, footage shows.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2020. Workplace Violence in Healthcare, 2018.

WPRI 12 News. 2023. Police: RI Hospital nurse ‘violently assaulted’ by patient.