National Nurses United

M A R C H | A P R I L 2 0 1 8 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 13 O n valentine's day, 17 students and staff from Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school lost their lives in a school shooting. Exactly one month later, a gunman walked into an Alabama hospital and fatally shot a nurse, also wounding another employee. Schools are dedicated to learning, and hospitals are dedicated to healing — but what happens when violence shatters what should be a "safe" space? Standing together, using the power of our collective voice, we must demand better. To that end, nurses could not be more proud of the young people currently leading a movement to say "#NeverAgain" to violence in schools. We stand in solidarity with this student-led fight, not only because we heal bodies broken by violence — but because violence also impacts our own health and safety at work. This is a truth I know viscerally. Long before I was the NNU's executive director, I was an ICU nurse who had been hit, bitten, spat upon at work. My experience was not uncommon, given that healthcare workers face outrageously high rates of workplace violence. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 58 hospital workers died as a result of violence in their workplace between 2011 and 2016. The BLS also found that RNs in the private sector experienced violence-related injuries at rates three times higher than all other industries in 2016. In our own movement to "demand better," nurses applaud the recent introduc- tion of the Health Care Workplace Violence Prevention Act, H.R. 5223, by Rep. Ro Khanna. With the support of 14 other members of Congress, this bill does some- thing critical: It mandates that healthcare employers have a plan in place to prevent violence in healthcare settings (as overseen by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration). To grasp the importance of this act, it's critical to remember that when nurses aren't safe, our patients and their families and visi- tors are also not safe. Violence impacts everyone in the vicinity. While we cannot rewind time to erase nurse injuries which have already occurred—or to bring back nurses who have been killed on the job (including our sister Cynthia Palomata, RN, who was fatally struck in the head by a patient in 2010), we can demand that our employers do every- thing in their power to protect us from violence before it happens. That means having a comprehensive plan in place, including assessment of each facility and unit's specific needs, measures to prevent violence from ever occurring in the first place (especially including safe staffing so that nurses are not left without adequate support), and training for all staff on exactly what to do in the event of a violent incident. The Healthcare Workplace Violence Prevention Act seeks to do just that. The best part? We know that healthcare workers can win this fight for better protections because at the state level, we already have. The new federal bill is modeled after nation-leading legislation the California Nurses Association already fought for and won in California. The law, passed in 2014, states that California healthcare employers must be responsible for protecting workers from violence by having a comprehensive plan in place, as overseen by Cal/OSHA. And now, after a years-long process of regu- lation development, the time has finally come. As of April 1, 2018, healthcare employ- ers in California must have their work- place violence prevention plans in place, or they are breaking the law. Nurses will engage in an aggressive enforcement campaign to ensure California hospitals comply. And because nurses fully understand that what works in healthcare settings is good for all workplaces, CNA is also advo- cating for these same protections for health- care facilities to be extended to all workplaces covered by Cal/OSHA. Taking the healthcare workplace violence protections national, and extend- ing them across industries, is the right thing to do. In the era of mass school shootings, the Yountville veterans home shooting, the YouTube shooting, and others, there is growing national concern over public safety in all workplaces. Rest assured that the nurses will be there, standing in strong solidarity with students, teachers, and all workers demanding better protections. We see that in our shared struggle, there is a collective demand for a culture that prioritizes public health and safety. And we also know that together, with the resonant voice of the people, we can make that healthier world a reality. Now, today, before one more life is shattered by violence. Bonnie Castillo, RN is executive director of National Nurses United. Bonnie Castillo, RN Executive Director, National Nurses United Stop the Violence Building on a landmark California law, we must demand better nationally, across industries "It's critical to remember that when nurses aren't safe, our patients and their families and visitors are also not safe. Violence impacts everyone in the vicinity… Taking the healthcare work- place violence protections national, and extending them across industries, is the right thing to do."

• Cover