BOSTON — Forty sets of scrubs lined the state house steps Wednesday morning; each one representing a healthcare worker who says they’ve been the victim of workplace violence.
Pinned to each scrub was a photo of a healthcare worker holding a sign detailing the assaults they experienced while caring for patients.
The rally organized by the Massachusetts Nurses Association, Massachusetts Hospital Association, and 1199SEUI was an effort to support An Act Requiring Health Care Employers to Develop and Implement Programs to Prevent Workplace Violence (H.4767).
“I was caring for a patient one day. He hit me in the side of the head. I was out of work for 12 weeks. I missed a whole summer with my daughter. I came into work that day to care for people and go home. My life changed on that day,” one healthcare worker told the crowd.
Advocates say violence against healthcare workers is becoming an increasingly common part of the job. Back in April, several arrests were made following attacks on staff at Tewksbury State Hospital. That’s why advocates are calling on the senate to pass the legislation that would require healthcare employers to develop and implement workplace violence prevention plans.
For Karen Coughlin, a registered nurse with more than four decades on the job, the issue is personal. She said she’s been assaulted more times than she can count, and worries many incidents go unreported.
“Everyone is traumatized. It isn’t just the person who is assaulted. It’s also those who witness it because it can be horrific,” Coughlin said. “No one should have to accept violence as a condition of employment.”
The bill, which passed the house unanimously, would require healthcare facilities to assess risks, train employees, establish reporting systems, and create plans aimed at preventing violent incidents before they happen.
Daniel Nadworny, with the Massachusetts Emergency Nursing Association, explains that this legislation has actually been years in the making.
“The first time I came to testify with other members here was back in 2013,” Nadworny said. “For a long time, there were two separate bills. One sponsored through the Mass Hospital Association, one sponsored through the union organizations, and there was discrepancy on what the goals of the bills were. Over time, consensus has built and built.”
Advocates hope the display serves as a reminder that behind every set of scrubs is a healthcare worker who was simply trying to do their job.
The bill passed the house unanimously back in November and is now before the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
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