Bill hoping to prevent workplace violence in healthcare facilities passes PA 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, including members of the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association (PSNA), along with various healthcare professionals, convened at the Capitol on Tuesday to address the incidents of workplace violence they have encountered during their duties.

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

The bill will move on to the Senate next, and should it be approved, it would mandate that hospitals set up workplace violence prevention committees along with conducting yearly risk evaluation reports.

The PSNA provided specific examples of violent incidents occurring at healthcare facilities throughout the state and displayed images showcasing the injuries nurses received while working.

“She was kicked to the chest, choked to the point of unconsciousness and hospitalized,” said PSNA Chief Executive Officer Wayne E Reich Jr., describing one instance.

The bill would also require healthcare facilities to keep records and reports of violence. Healthcare workers said that at this moment, there is no mandatory rule in place that requires hospitals to report those incidents.

“There’s been times I’ve been assaulted that I didn’t do anything about it," Harris said. "It was...what was the point? So, I can be told what I could’ve done differently...We’ll throw another training session at you?”

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

“A different state agency is stepping in for regulation purposes; this seems like excessive measures, and ultimately, it doesn’t prevent the violence,” stated Republican Representative Seth Grove.

The Democratic proposal indicated that 22 Republicans supported the bill; however, those opposing it argued that should the bill make it through the Senate, it would merely compound issues for hospitals grappling with difficult fiscal choices.

“It sets fine fees, right of actions, huge costs, I think, for very little gain,” Grove said.

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 restrictive regulations.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare workers accounted for 73% of all non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses the last time the data was collected.

Reich stated that the rationale behind why a legislation to safeguard healthcare personnel hasn't been implemented boils down to one thing: "Hospitals dislike being instructed on how to operate, and they could feel that they're already taking all possible measures."