National Nurses United

NATIONAL N ational nurses united (NNU) announced its support for the Workplace Violence Preven- tion for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, officially reintroduced on May 11, in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). The House version of the bill, H.R. 1195, led by Rep. Joe Courtney (D- CT), was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on April 16, 2021. The bill would mandate that the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administra- tion (OSHA) create a federal standard requiring health care and social service employers to develop and implement a com- prehensive workplace violence prevention plan. This legislation is especially important given that health care and social service work- ers face extremely high rates of workplace violence. Less than two months after this bill's introduction, a former patient shot and killed two doctors, a receptionist, and another patient in an orthopedic clinic at the St. Fran- cis Hospital Natalie Building in Tulsa, Okla. "Our nurses, doctors, social services workers, and health care professionals deserve to work in a safe environment free from violence," said Sen. Baldwin. "Health care workers have faced unprecedented obstacles just to stay healthy and do their jobs through the pandemic, and on top of it all, they have seen senseless violence against them. It is unacceptable and we must pro- vide basic protections and safety standards to a workforce that serves people during some of their most vulnerable times." "Nurses didn't join this profession to take abuse, and the best way to retain and recruit qualified health care professionals is to ensure they don't have to worry about getting physi- cally assaulted at work every day," said Rep. Courtney. "That's exactly what our Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers would do, and it's because of the grassroots support of groups like National Nurses United that we've come so close now to the finish line. I hope every senator will cosponsor our bill and show health care work- ers real support instead of lip service." "So many nurses across the country are physically and verbally attacked each year, and the violence is getting worse," said NNU President Jean Ross, RN at the press confer- ence announcing the bill introduction. "We need the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act to help protect us on the job, so we can con- tinue to care for you, your loved ones, and our communities. We strongly urge the Sen- ate to take up this bill with the urgency it deserves, pass it, and send it to the presi- dent's desk for his signature." "This groundbreaking legislation will hold health care and social service employers accountable for the safety of their workers," said Bonnie Castillo, RN and executive director of NNU. "It's time for employers to stop putting people's lives in danger. Every- one deserves to be safe in their workplace, and that includes hospitals, clinics, and social service settings that are so crucial now more than ever given the deadly Covid-19 pandemic. We are grateful for the leadership of Sen. Baldwin and Rep. Courtney for spearheading this important legislation." "Of the workers providing critical care on the front line, women are at the greatest risk of workplace assaults, suffering seven out of 10 serious workplace violence injuries," said AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Red- mond at the press conference. "An OSHA standard would protect these workers while requiring employers in the health care and social service sectors to develop and imple- ment a workplace violence prevention plan tailored to specific workplaces and worker populations. It's time for our Congress to act." The federal legislation is modeled after a groundbreaking California health care workplace violence standard that was the result of state legislation sponsored by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United. Sen. Baldwin and Rep. Courtney spoke at a press conference, along with NNU President Jean Ross, RN; AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond; American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten; Roosevelt Day, residential counselor and AFSCME member in Trenton, N.J.; Valencia Davis, member of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 7600 in Riverside, Calif.; and Meg Dionne, RN in Portland, Maine and National Nurses Organizing Committee/ NNU member. —Chuleenan Svetvilas Nurses applaud introduction of federal Senate bill to prevent workplace violence in health care, social services 6 N A T I O N A L N U R S E W W W . N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G A P R I L | M AY | J U N E 2 0 2 2 NEWS BRIEFS

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