National Nurses United

NATIONAL I n march, after two nurses at HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital in Port Char- lotte, Fla. were attacked by a patient, nurses at the facility held a rally to demand management work with nurses to create workplace violence prevention plans, initiate hands-on training for nurses and other hospital personnel, and implement protocols and policies to reduce workplace violence. "Today, we have two nurses who are deal- ing with serious consequences from an attack by a patient after the hospital failed to ensure the patients' and the nurses' safety," said Valerie Jean, RN in the float pool at Fawcett. "For years, we have called on HCA to work with us to implement workplace violence prevention plans and to address the staffing crisis that creates the conditions for work- place violence. This week's attack is a stark reminder of the dangers that nurses and patients face when our hospitals fail to invest in training and staffing or fail to implement clear protocols to deal with patients in crisis." Fawcett nurses are demanding that man- agement work with nurses to create unit-specific workplace violence prevention plans; implement clear reporting mecha- nisms for workplace violence incidents; and institute hands-on deescalation training for nurses and other staff. "We know that nurses are facing work- place violence on a daily basis, which is exacerbated by poor staffing," said Janet Mayl, a registered nurse in the post-anesthe- sia care unit. "No one is safe in our hospitals when nurses are not safe. We must demand that HCA implement protocols and policies designed to create safe, healing spaces in our hospital. We know that workplace violence prevention plans work, so that is why we are demanding HCA work with us to create plans immediately." The Fawcett attack came on the heels of multiple incidents (at facilities where NNU affiliates do not represent nurses) that grabbed headlines nationwide. In February, at HCA Florida Palms West Hospital in Lox- ahatchee, Fla., a nurse was brutally beaten by a patient. At UPMC Memorial in York, Penn., a visitor brought a gun to the hospi- tal, killing one police officer and shooting a doctor, nurse, custodian, and two other police officers. In response to those tragedies, National Nurses United (NNU), issued the following statement: "We strongly condemn the senseless, unacceptable violence at UPMC Memorial and HCA Florida Palms West Hospital. Our hearts are with the victims, and all health care professionals, emergency responders, patients, community members, and their families who have been impacted. "Hospitals should be sites of healing and, critically, employers must do their part to ensure safe staffing and prevent con- ditions that lead to workplace violence…All incidents of workplace vio- lence are unacceptable, as is the hospital industry's failure to prioritize the safety of their patients and staff over their bottom line. Extensive research and scientific evi- dence show that unit-specific workplace violence prevention plans created with the expertise of direct care nurses and other health care workers substantially decrease violent incidents and increase safety for staff and patients. Safe staffing is a key foundation for effective workplace violence prevention plans. "Preventing violence in hospitals and health care settings must be a national pri- ority. As union nurses and patient advocates, through collective bargaining and legislative advocacy, NNU members have been documenting and pushing back on the industry's failure to act. For years, NNU has endorsed federal legislation and petitioned for national workplace regulatory standards that mandate accountability from the hospital industry. This builds on our successful efforts to pass S.B. 1299 in Cali- fornia, which set a model for the nation by requiring California health care employers to have comprehensive, unit-specific work- place violence prevention plans. NNU's efforts to fight for the same standard of pro- tection for all nurses will continue this year." —Lucy Diavolo NNU's statement in response to workplace violence tragedies Get money for school! Applications for the California Nurses Foundation Scholarships Available Starting April 1, 2025 Applications are available as of April 1, 2025 for scholarships administered by the California Nurses Foundation for the benefit of CNA members in selected geographic areas, or for students pursuing ADN programs in selected states. The 2025 application deadline for all scholarships is July 15, 2025. Complete information and online forms to apply can be found at the CNA and NNU websites under the "Resources" tab, or at the following url: https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/cnf-scholarships J A N U A R Y | F E B R U A R Y | M A R C H 2 0 2 5 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 N A T I O N A L N U R S E 7

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