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.






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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