Why couldn't the police officer accept what the nurse was saying? Again what was so important?
Why was the nurse abandoned?  Where was anyone in authority? No physicians?
Why didn't ,whoever it was on the phone say I will handle this when I come in, I am on my way"
Who took care of this nurses patients? Did the patients see all this commotion?
Did anyone call the CHIEF of POLICE?
I know being a Monday night Quarterback ER isn't the way to go BUT this nurse was left alone. The devastation was heard in her voice. Her cries for help and really, no one was lending a hand for her. Except a voice I heard saying "she is doing her job"
What type of administration does that to an employee? What type of police force is in Utah?
We as nurses are behind this Nurse. Prayers are sent to her And her family!! !!!!!

I wonder at times, why I think differently then others. There is so much news coverage on the nurse that was arrested. The police officer wanted blood work drawn from a patient and the nurse couldn't / wouldn't do it.
I thought , did the police officer think he could march right in and order blood work from a patient? Why would he think that? Can we as nurses walk into the police department and demand records of criminals? What was so important he couldn't follow the procedures?
But that isn't the real reason I am upset about this whole business. What I don't understand is why this nurse was left to stand on her own! Where was her supervisor? Where was her Director of Nursing? Why wasn't the ER physician handling this incident? S/he is the one ordering the blood work . If  s/he didn't feel the need for this blood work the police officer wanted ,the Medical director should have been called and responded by coming into the ER.
I feel so unsettled due to the lack of support this nurse received.
 Handcuffed and escorted out of the ER by a police officer that needed something in the patients blood work and didn't get it.
Why wasn't the supervisor, head nurse, physician, risk manager, Human Resources, Director of nursing,Medical director ,head of security??????? Most hospitals have a team like this , they are the ones that should of handled the police officer not the nurse.
If I ever ended up in that ER I would want that nurse to take care of me because she is a  GREAT NURSE that takes care of the whole patient awake, asleep or unconscious.

Did you Know?

Lets talk about violence,assaults and homicide.
When we think of violence,violent attacks ,or homicide, most people imagine street crime ,a convenience store robbery gone very badly,or perhaps a lethal home invasion.
My topic is different : violence perpetrated against healthcare workers-nurses,physicians,emergency techs, medical aides,and so forth-at the hands of patients, patients family members and patient acquaintances.
80% of healthcare workers get assaulted   YES I wrote 80% of healthcare workers get assaulted!!!!
The healthcare employee population is,literally and figuratively under attack,and the victims are losing their sense of freedom,safety, emotional stability and in some cases their lives.

We need to continue to let the public know how much violence there is!

I have read numerous articles about healthcare violence just in the past few days. I am so pleased that the violence in healthcare settings is being recognized. It has been a problem for years. BUT it seems to be all talk! "Needs to be studied more" seems to be in a lot of the writings. My response is
Healthcare professionals are getting hurt in all healthcare facilities. Why isn't anything being done????? The public has very little knowledge of what nurses do . We need to let them know!
 We need to work together and get this job of violence under control now!

Elise's Law

Nurse Elise Wilson

After being savagely stabbed by a patient, nurse Elise Wilson’s colleagues, friends and family testify on behalf of “Elise’s Law”.

Today the Massachusetts State House witnessed Elise Wilson’s colleagues, friends and family testify on behalf of “Elise’s Law”, a legislative protective act for healthcare workers. Elise, the nurse the law is named after wasn’t there. She was so severely injured by a patient brutally stabbing her that, a month and half after the savage attack, she is still recovering and was unable to attend the hearing. The horrific assault she endured left her in critical care – fighting for her life with scars that will last a lifetime. Thank goodness she is alive!

It is awful to think that someone almost needs to die, before felony legislation is put in place. Massachusetts legislators – it’s time to protect healthcare professionals from being assaulted.

"Elise's Law" is formally known as Senate Bill No. 1374, which was filed by state Senator James Timilty about five months prior to Wilson being attacked. Thirty-five other legislators have also signed on in support of the proposal. The Massachusetts Nurses Association proposed the law in effort to better protect healthcare workers and create programs to prevent workplace violence.

Based upon a Massachusetts Nurses Association survey of more than 220 nurses it found that fear of violence and physical and verbal abuse are pervasive in Massachusetts healthcare facilities. More than 85 percent of nurses have been assaulted physically or verbally. Nurses are assaulted on the job more than police officers and prison guards, with more than 70 percent of hospital emergency department nurses reporting being assaulted during their career. These are frightening statistics we, and others who work in the healthcare industry, face just by going to work! Enough!!

Violence should not be part of any job! It is time Massachusetts legislators make much needed, and overdue changes to protect, Massachusetts healthcare workers, their constituents and our mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, spouses, friends and colleagues by passing Massachusetts’s felony legislation!

Sheila Wilson, RN, BSN, MPH
President, Stop Healthcare Violence

www.stophealthcareviolence.org

Get our book! The Shocking Reality of Healthcare Violence

Nurse shot in leg !

   A nurse shot in the leg today by a hyperactive patient that was able to get a policeman's gun.
This happened at West Marion Hospital Ocala Florida.  Today 6/17/17.   "REALLY"
There were no further details on this incident as of yet.

I really don't know what to think! There are so many question and no answers. Can anyone respond on why and how this is happening?
Have we as healthcare workers allowed all this to happen? Do we think it really is part of the job to be assaulted?
Time to stand up and make all sorts of noise, This is not right, we need protection, we need to work together and stop this violence.
Prayers to this nurse,her family,friends and colleagues.

Sheila Wilson R.N.BSN MPH

President of stophealthcareviolence

www.stophealthcareviolence.org

The shocking reality of Healthcare violence and what we can do about it. Has been published as a ebook and now paperback. 

A Triage nurse stabbed 4 times by a 24 year old male whom was unhappy with the care he received 3 weeks before stabbed her!!!!!!!


The violence in healthcare is escalating and it is the healthcare worker that gets the injury. S/he suffers , life as they had it ,is no longer there.
We have to change this! We no longer accept the attitude it is part of the job! Really it isn't part of the job.
I think it is about time we make noise about how often we get punched, spit on, slapped and kicked by the person or their family or friends that we take care of.
Make out incident reports ,IT IS A PAPER TRAIL ! Follow up with the incident report and make sure your administrator is well of it! DONT SWEEP IT UNDER THE RUG ANY LONGER!
That triage nurse was just doing her job , it is outrageous that happen!

In the State of MA. we have a law assaulting healthcare workers that is a misdemeanor, we are trying to change it to a felony like 33 other states have done for assaulting healthcare workers.
Please call,write or email your Senator or Representative or both to support the bills for assaulting healthcare workers. To find your legislator click the link below.
https://malegislature.gov/Search/findMyLegislator

Thank you we need your support!

Felony Legislation: New Bill Numbers!

We have new Bill Numbers for felony legislation - making assault on healthcare workers a felony in the State of Massachusetts:

House Bill H795

Click here

Senate Bill S765

Click here

Please support the passage of these Bills. 

Contact your State legislator and urge him or her to support passage of these Bills so that Massachusetts can be the 34th State.

Sheila Wilson, RN, BSN, MPH
President, Stop Healthcare Violence
http://www.stophealthcareviolence.org
Get our ebook! The Shocking Reality of Healthcare Violence

The Way It Is… and The Way It Should Be

Many people have asked for clarification about misdemeanor penalties versus felony penalties when it comes to assault on healthcare workers. I’ve put together a simple primer that I hope will clear this up.

The Way It Is: Assault as a Misdemeanor
When the victim contacts the police, a police report is filed, but law enforcement is unable to arrest the perpetrator because they didn't visually witness the assault.

Then, law enforcement sends their report to District Attorney’s Office. The DA’s office sends the victim, and the perpetrator, a court date to meet with a court magistrate.

On that date, if the court magistrate feels it is important to see the judge, then you and the perpetrator go to court and appear in front of a judge. The judge decides if that individual receives probation, a fine, or time in a county jail.

The Way It Should Be: Assault as a Felony
When the victim contacts the police, a report is filed AND the police can arrest him or her and take him to jail if medically stable.

There is no need to appear in front of a court magistrate (hear that, nurses? Saving you from a day in court). Instead, you and the perpetrator go to court before a judge.

There is no fine, so the penalty would be sentencing to jail, Massachusetts House of Corrections, or State Prison.

However, if the DA and/or the judge do not feel the resulting injuries are significant enough to warrant felony penalties, they may choose to downgrade the crime to a misdemeanor.

The moral of the story:
Please, please, please — support felony law. In Massachusetts, we are lobbying for the passage of House Bill H795 and Senate Bill S765. Contact your State legislator (how do I find them?) and urge him or her to support passage of these Bills so that Massachusetts can be the 34th State

Sheila Wilson, RN, BSN, MPH
President, Stop Healthcare Violence
http://www.stophealthcareviolence.org
Get our ebook! The Shocking Reality of Healthcare Violence

A New Day, A New Anti-Assault Bill... Yes!

4/17/17: There is an update to this post here.

We Have New Anti-Assault Legislation!

As most of you may recall, HB #1164 was filed in the 2016 legislative session with the intent to strengthen penalties for assault on a healthcare worker from a misdemeanor to a felony.

HB #1164 was tabled, sent to study, whatever you want to call it -- it was DOA at the end of the 2016 legislative session.

However, new legislation was introduced for the current 2017 session, Docket #HD1329, which, like its would-be predecessor, will help protect healthcare workers who have been assaulted in a work environment setting.

Once this new legislation was introduced - or reintroduced, if you will - I, along with my fabulous colleague, friend and Board Member Jeanne White, conducted a vigorous email campaign to Massachusetts House and Senate legislators for co-sponsors of this proposed new Bill.  Our efforts were a success - we ended up with 55 co-sponsors for Docket# HD 1329! This took time, diligence and dogged determination, but we achieved a tremendous goal.

I'd also like to give a boisterous shout-out to Lisa Field and the Massachusetts Nurses Association for lending a strong and solid hand in this tremendous effort; we are so fortunate to be in partnership with MNA on the issue of felony legislation.

So what's the next step? The proposed legislation has been sent to the House Clerk's Office where it will be assigned a bill number. The bill will then be sent to the appropriate committee.

I and the rest of the Stop Healthcare Violence Team is forever grateful for the support and encouragement of you, our followers.

Please stay tuned for more updates, as we will surely be seeking assistance once this new piece of legislation gets underway.


Sheila Wilson, RN, BSN, MPH
President, Stop Healthcare Violence
http://www.stophealthcareviolence.org
Get our ebook! The Shocking Reality of Healthcare Violence

Never Met, Living Thousands of Miles Apart; We Share a Strong Bond

Two women, both nurses, from different parts of the country. One lives in Utah, and the other lives in Massachusetts.   

These two have never met in person, but they share a strong connection.  

What is that connection? They both have been victims of healthcare assault; both have witnessed colleagues suffer the same; and both recognized this dangerous epidemic happening to caregivers in hospital environments.  Unknown to each other, each has been working on something very similar, to achieve a very similar goal:  

They each, with the help of legislative representatives, created a state Bill that would help protect the healthcare workers in this sometimes violent work environment.   

This is their story and how their respective Bills would help enact much-needed change for many healthcare providers.  

-Jeanne White, Host, Passionate World Radio, 2/21/17

I was thrilled to conduct a radio interview with a fellow nurse, with whom I share a strong bond, but whom I've never met. Please take a few minutes and listen to our discussion. Thanks for your time and your support.

Sheila Wilson, RN, BSN, MPH

President, Stop Healthcare Violence

http://www.stophealthcareviolence.org

Get our ebook! The Shocking Reality of Healthcare Violence

  

Brand New Ebook Trailer! The Shocking Reality of Healthcare Violence

I have published an ebook that breaks down the characteristics of workplace violence in healthcare, contributing factors, and what we can do about it. The book even touches on what your employers and administrators can do to mitigate healthcare violence. Get it now on Amazon, Kobo, NookPress and iBooks.






http://stophealthcareviolence.org/get-this-book/
http://tiny.cc/ebook-amazon
http://tiny.cc/ebook-kobo
http://tiny.cc/ebook-ibooks
http://tiny.cc/ebook-nook



Sheila Wilson, RN, BSN, MPH
President, Stop Healthcare Violence
http://www.stophealthcareviolence.org

Where Caregivers are the Problem

One of the barriers to mitigating healthcare violence is us - the healthcare workers.

We are the problem.

Does that shock  you? It should. But let me explain.

Healthcare workers are caregivers. We are peacemakers.

We are caregivers and peacemakers who often face and manage perpetual crises. We learn and are trained to absorb these situations without showing outward reaction. Our drill is to remain calm amongst a storm that is frequently constant.

It’s innate; we don’t make waves. Instead, we make excuses. 

When a patient scratches, hits or kicks, you say, “He didn’t mean it.” When a patient shoves, we shrug a shoulder and say, “She didn’t mean it, it’s ok.” We minimize, we downplay. 

But this is NOT okay.

Being scratched, hit, kicked, shoved, spit upon, or assaulted in any other way, is not acceptable. We need not, cannot, and should not condone it or make excuses. 

Once we begin to understand, and REALLY BELIEVE, that being assaulted in the workplace is NOT okay, and it is NOT in our job description, we begin to reverse the widespread belief culture that healthcare violence is an acceptable status quo. Correcting this mindset internally - establishing our own "zero tolerance policy," if you will - is a critical component of ensuring our own safety in the workplace.

Read lots more in my ebook, including how to protect yourself, and what your employer can and should do to ensure your safety.    

SHEILA WILSON R.N., BSN, MPH

President, Stop Healthcare Violence

www.stophealthcareviolence.org

More About My E-Book
Amazon Kindle  * Kobo  * iBooks

The E-Book You Can't Afford NOT To Read

Healthcare workers: Do you want to...

• learn to identify potentially dangerous situations, protect and advocate for yourself, 
• understand that being a victim of violence is NOT in your job description, and 
• find out what employers and administrators can and should do to keep you safe?

This is is all in my brand new e-book:

The Shocking Reality of Violence in Healthcare

And What We Can Do About It

Are you a healthcare worker who has been assaulted, or know someone who has? Violence against healthcare workers has reached epidemic levels, and E.R. nurses are particularly at risk. Assaults on healthcare staff is leading to life-changing injuries, PTSD, and even death. This book helps you, and we CAN mitigate healthcare violence.

You cannot afford NOT to read this. Get it now on Amazon Kindle, Kobo, and iBooks.

SHEILA WILSON R.N., BSN, MPH

President, Stop Healthcare Violence

www.stophealthcareviolence.org

More About My E-Book
Amazon Kindle  * Kobo  * iBooks

Ok; Let's Roll

Ok, my fellow supporters, colleagues and friends; it is time.

Many of you have cheered me on over the last eight years since the inception of Stop Healthcare Violence; particularly as I and some of my associates lobbied endlessly and tirelessly for the passage of felony legislation as a means to curb healthcare violence. Now it is time for action. 

I need you to do something for me; it's not a difficult thing and it won't take much, but it could lead to be something significant and could have a major impact on healthcare safety.

We are trying to solicit co-sponsors for Massachusetts Docket #HD 1329, An Act Strengthening the Penalty for Assault or Assault and Battery on an Emergency Medical Technician, Ambulance Operator, Ambulance Attendant or Health Care Provider. This Docket will eventually be filed as a Bill that would replace HB #1164 that was, last year, sent to study. 

Here's what I need you to do: 

Please contact your senators or representatives and ask him or her to co-sponsor this Docket.

You can find your legislator here: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator

And you can use the following example for your letter, email or telephone call to them:

My name is Sheila Wilson RN BSN MPH President and co-founder of Stop Healthcare Violence. I am asking you to consider co-sponsoring Docket #HD 1329 due to the increase of violence in the workplace. We as healthcare workers are being assaulted by patients, patients’ family members, and friends of the patients. 

Violence against Healthcare workers has reached epidemic levels. Health care workers experience the most non-fatal workplace with attacks on these professions accounting for nearly 70% of all non-fatal workplace assaults. You may not know but at this writing 33 states have changed their law to a felony for assaulting health care workers BUT Massachusetts is not one of them. I wonder why, especially when Massachusetts was always the leader for the health care. This legislation would increase the penalties for assaulting emergency medical technicians, ambulance operators, ambulance attendants and other healthcare workers. Punishable by up to five years in state prison.

Won't you please take five minutes to do this? I thank you in advance for your consideration. Now, let's roll.

SHEILA WILSON R.N., BSN, MPH

President, Stop Healthcare Violence

www.stophealthcareviolence.org

New Anti-Assault Bill to be Filed

A new anti-assault bill will be filed with the State of Massachusetts in early 2017. Like HB #1164, this new bill will increase penalties for assault on healthcare workers, and change the category of its crime from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Stay tuned!  

Yes! A Cheer for MNA's Support

I have the distinct pleasure of presenting the following from Donna Kelly-Williams, president of  Massachusetts Nurses Association:

Health care professionals are being assaulted at a rate four times the national average. Fear of violence and actual violence is rampant in Massachusetts health care facilities. It is clear the laws we have in place are not enough to stop the violence. A hospital should be a place where patients go to heal and nurses and other health care professionals are able to provide care in a safe environment. The Massachusetts Nurses Association is proud to partner with Sheila Wilson, co-founder of Stop Healthcare Violence, and the Massachusetts Emergency Nurse Association, in our effort to improve the safety of every health care facility in the Commonwealth.

Stop Healthcare Violence looks forward to working with the MNA in our efforts to engender a safe and supportive work environment for healthcare workers everywhere.


Sheila Wilson R.N.BSN MPH
President, Stop Healthcare Violence
www.stophealthcareviolence.org