Raising Nurses’ Workplace Violence Penalties in Texas

Review of the Literature: Raising Nurses’ Workplace Violence Penalties in Texas
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Raising Nurses’ Workplace Violence Penalties in Texas
Summary
Workplace violence has become a major concern today in the US. According to the experts, workplace violence is any physical assault, threatening behaviour, verbal abuse, harassment and murder. Although there are no federal laws on workplace safety, Texas is the first state to increase workplace violence penalties for those committing assaults against nurses at the emergency department and other workers from a Class A misdemeanor to a third-degree felony. Other states are drafting similar legislation on the same based on the several reports highlighting the prevalence rate of violence against nurses especially in emergency departments.
U.S. Newswire (2013). Emergency Nurses Association Applauds Texas Legislation that raises
assaults against Emergency Department Personnel to Third Degree Felony.
Washington. U.S. Newswire. Proquest.com.
The article illustrate some of the reasons why there is need to increase penalties for those committing assaults against nurses at the emergency department from a Class A misdemeanor to a third-degree felony. The article states that workplace violence is demeaning and demoralizes nurses resulting to decreased nursing satisfaction and nursing shortage thus impacting negatively on patient outcome. This is one way of protecting emergency department personnel. Despite Texas hospitals increasing its security measures, assaults committed in the emergency department are on the increase.
American Nurse. (2013). Texas Governor signs assault bill. American Nurse Journal, 45 (4), 7.
This article reports about the recent move by the Texas Governor Ricky Perry who signed legislation making it illegal to commit an assault against personnel within the emergency department. The action would be considered a third-degree felony .The legislation raises the penalty for those committing assaults against nurses at the emergency department and other workers from a Class A misdemeanor to a third-degree felony. The article provides statistical information citing several studies that indicated the increasing incidences of workplace assaults in Texas hospital. Under the previous law, any offender who attacked other workers would be charged with a third-degree felony. However, those who assaulted the emergency nurses could only be charged with a misdemeanor. Therefore, the new law raises the penalty for assaults against emergency nurses and other departments to the same level. The article supports the signing of the new bill as a way of reducing violence against medical personnel in hospitals.
American Nurse. (2007). Preventing workplace violence in NY. American Nurse Journal, 39
(3), 4-8.
This article talks about how New York lawmakers acknowledges the fact that nurses more than 500,000 nurses become a victim of crime in their workplaces each year. The article provides qualitative information to demonstrate how nurses are the ones affected by violence. This article uses number to demonstrate how serious this issue has become and it supports the proposed changes in the legislation.
Bain, E. (2005).Legis...