Introduced by: UAN Executive Council 

Action: Adopted June 22, 2000 

WHEREAS, Of all the medical professions, nurses suffer the largest number and highest rate of non-fatal workplace violence, and 

WHEREAS, Healthcare patients are the source of more than half of nonfatal workplace assaults with current and former co-workers accounting for 8%, and 

WHEREAS, Methods to prevent, de-escalate and respond to violence from both of the sources noted above as well as intruders is documented in the medical and social science literature, and 

WHEREAS, Precedents exist for legislative language seeking to raise the penalties for violence against healthcare workers and deter the occurrence of violence in healthcare facilities, therefore be it 

RESOLVED, That a definition of violence toward health care workers be developed to address various perpetrators as well as the range of violent acts, and be it further 

RESOLVED, That the UAN advocate for strong measures to prevent violence in the healthcare workplace including: 

Calling for an OSHA standard on violence 
Developing / sharing contract language to address violence 
Developing / sharing best practices for addressing and preventing violence 
Developing / sharing model legislative language for proposal at the state level