Ohio: Association pushes for bill to prevent violence against nurses

The Ohio Nurses Association is urging lawmakers to pass legislation aimed at preventing violence in the workplace.

Violent acts in the workplace occur frequently in the nursing profession. A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing found that three-quarters of nurses providing private and public care experienced workplace violence.

H.B. 450, sponsored by Reps. Denise Driehaus, D-Columbus, and Linda S. Bolon, D-Columbiana, would increase the penalty for assault in Ohio when the victim is a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse engaged in the performance of official duties whom the offender knows or has reasonable cause to believe is a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse.

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ONA officials said they are pleased that the legislation recognizes that an assault on a nurse should be treated the same as an assault on school employees, police, fire and EMS workers, which is a fourth-degree felony with a mandatory 12-month prison sentence under Ohio law.

"I recognize and appreciate the integral role nurses fill in our health care system," Driehaus said. "I want to do everything in my power to not only protect these hardworking men and women as they do their jobs but also to aid this vital profession in its efforts to recruit the next generation of nurses."

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April 15, 2010

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