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Legislative bills

Bipartisan Bill to Protect Nurses and Healthcare Workers from Workplace Violence Introduced to Senate

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As the nation celebrates National Nurses Week, a bipartisan bill to protect nurses, healthcare workers, and social service employees against workplace violence has been introduced to the U.S. Senate by Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI). The Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act (H.R. 1195/S. 4182) aims to curb rising rates of on-the-job assaults against nurses and others by directing OSHA to issue a standard requiring health care and social service employers to write and implement a workplace violence prevention plan.

Key Takeaways:

  • The bill, introduced by Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02) in the House and Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) in the Senate, aims to protect nurses, healthcare workers, and social service employees from workplace violence.
  • The bill requires health care and social service employers to write and implement a workplace violence prevention plan to prevent and protect employees from violent incidents.
  • The bill has drawn endorsements from health care and social service professionals, as well as unions representing workers in these sectors.
  • A 2016 GAO study reported that rates of violence against health care workers are up to 12 times higher than rates for the overall workforce, and 70% of nonfatal workplace assaults in 2016 occurred in the health care and social assistance sectors.
  • A 2020 survey of registered nurses conducted by National Nurses United (NNU) found that 20% of registered nurses reported increased workplace violence during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The bill has been supported by the Biden Administration and has passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support.

Statistics:

  • 2016 GAO study reported that rates of violence against health care workers are up to 12 times higher than rates for the overall workforce.
  • 70% of nonfatal workplace assaults in 2016 occurred in the health care and social assistance sectors.
  • 2020 survey of registered nurses conducted by National Nurses United (NNU) found that 20% of registered nurses reported increased workplace violence during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • The bill has passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support, with a margin of 254-166 in April 2021.
  • The bill has been supported by the Biden Administration.

Sources:

  • United States House of Representatives
  • Congressman Joe Courtney (2nd District of Connecticut)
  • Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
  • Government Accountability Office (2016)
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics (2018)
  • National Nurses United (2020)
  • American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)
  • Emergency Nurses Association (ENA)
  • American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
  • AFL-CIO
  • American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
  • American Federation of Government Employees
  • International Association of Fire Fighters
  • United Steelworkers (USW)
  • Public Citizen

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