Violence against health care providers in Texas, especially for nurses working in mental health facilities, has become a common phenomenon. Every day the Department of Health receives claims of assault by the colleague, patient, or visitors coming from more than one nurse. The Federal Government in collaboration with the Department of Healthcare has introduced laws seeking to punish those found guilty of causing violence in the healthcare sector. On the other hand, the Emergency Nursing Association (ENA) on June 19, 2013 pushed the Texas Governor to sign a bill seeking to make the assaults committed against health care providers a third-degree felony. The legislation identified as Texas House Bill 705 aims at raising the penalty for those found guilty of communing assault against nurses from class (A) law offenders to third-degree felony. Even with the introduction of the above legislation cases of violence against healthcare providers is still on the rise in Texas (ENA, 2013). The situation calls for the implementation of a more powerful legislation in order to ensure nurses working in mental health departments provide the necessary care to patients without any disturbance that may interfere with patient output.
The society lacks enough knowledge on consequences of assaulting healthcare providers. According to McPhaul et al. 92008), patients and visitors account for the highest number of assaults among healthcare providers in healthcare. The best proposal to help reduce violence cases among healthcare providers would be coming up with an education platform. The government should release funds to the Department of Health to cater for education programs aimed at making the public aware of the need for good patient-nurse relationship. Additionally, most people committing assault to nurses do so because of anger, poor services, or delays. The education programs should aim at campaigning for peace and making the public understand the impact of approaching nurses in acceptable tones.
Nurses working in mental health departments face the highest number of assaults coming from fellow staff, patients, caregivers, and patient visitors. According to my proposal, the government should introduce a legislative bill requiring people assaulting healthcare providers to be discharged from the facility immediately and face the full force of the law. Healthcare employees found guilty of assault should work in the healthcare facility for a period of five years getting half the total salary expected of them.
References
Emergency Nurses Association. (2013). Emergency nurses association applauds Texas
legislation that raises assaults against emergency department personnel to third degree felony. Retrieved November 25, 2014 from http://www.ena.org/about/media/PressReleases/Pages/Texas-Legislation.aspx
McPhaul, M. K., London, M., Murrett, K., Flannery, K., Rosen, J., & Lipscomb, J. (2008).
Environmental evaluation for workplace violence in healthcare and social services. Journal of safety research, 39, 237-250.
