CONNECTICUT, USA — The Connecticut Hospital Association and its members are taking a stand against violence directed at healthcare workers, something they said is getting more severe and more frequent. According to the CHA, at least five healthcare workers are assaulted daily in hospitals in our state.
“I’ve been a nurse for a long time. And, I have not seen as much violence and aggression as I see in this current time,” said Ena Williams, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Yale New Haven Hospital. “There was a time when that was a very rare situation, patients respected us. Patients thought we were doing the right thing for them. Now sometimes, it feels as if, no matter what you do, it’s not enough.”
In response, the CHA has created a new statewide Code of Conduct Policy to be implemented in all of Connecticut’s 27 acute care hospitals.
It reads, in part:
“Connecticut hospitals and health systems will not tolerate actions that intentionally disrupt any healthcare environment, including inpatient, outpatient, office-based, and home care settings. Such actions include:
- Aggressive or violent behavior, such as physical assaults, threats (verbal and non-verbal), or abusive language
- Discriminatory language
- Language or actions that may be perceived as sexual harassment
- The possession of weapons of any kind in hospital or health system facilities
The safety of patients and staff are a top priority of Connecticut hospitals. Behavior that jeopardizes their safety may result in potential consequences, including being asked to leave the facility.”
The violence nurses and all hospital employees are seeing ranges from verbal to physical abuse.
“We’ve had staff members that have been kicked in the head. Scratched, pinched, bit, kicked, or, I’ve been smacked in the face before,” said Teresa Marks, a nurse at UConn Health’s John Dempsey Hospital.
Some of that behavior, Marks said, is expected from patients who cannot control themselves for medical reasons. But the behavior is also coming, she said, from those who can.
“Every day we come in, every day, something happens,” Marks said. “We get physically abused, verbally abused, it’s part of our everyday occurrence these days, and it shouldn’t be.”
“The context with which they look at it is with that empathy, that healing, and they often go beyond and say, it’s okay. But it’s really not okay folks. It’s not,” said Kurt Barwis, CEO of Bristol Health.
Most of the hospitals have already implemented similar policies, but this will bring them all on the same page.
“To say together what we expect and what we will do when individuals come into our environment that will not respect the healthcare workers,” Williams said.
The group is hoping the changes will turn the page in a book that’s leading to a severe healthcare worker shortage.
“I had a young nurse come up and make a statement, happens to only have been a nurse for a little over a year. Who made a statement, ‘I can’t do this for much longer.’ We’re going to lose staff,” Marks said.
“It’s causing people to second guess why they got into healthcare. It’s impacting the critical thinking that’s needed to provide safe quality care,” said Joseph Hines, Director of Safety & Security at Stamford Health.
The CHA has also worked with lawmakers to pass HB 6741, which provides funding for added safety and security measures at CT hospitals.
But, their work isn’t done yet. They’re now working with the state’s attorneys' office to properly prosecute those who commit crimes in hospitals. Right now, they said they’re often released back to the general public.
The CHA is also asking for the public’s help to follow the code of conduct to make a difference.
“We shouldn’t have to come into our jobs every day and be afraid. At all. And I’m hoping this will at least curb that somewhat. I mean, I’m sure we’re always going to have something. But, having the incidents few and far between versus every day would be a tremendous help,” Marks said.
Read the full Code of Conduct, below:
“Exceptional patient care requires a safe, supportive, inclusive, equitable and respectful environment that involves a commitment by patients, hospital staff, families, and visitors to maintain such an environment. Behavior that interferes with the delivery of healthcare or creates an unsafe and disrespectful environment is unacceptable. Connecticut hospitals and health systems will not tolerate actions that intentionally disrupt any healthcare environment, including inpatient, outpatient, office-based, and home care settings. Such actions include:
- Aggressive or violent behavior, such as physical assaults, threats (verbal and non-verbal), or abusive language
- Discriminatory language
- Language or actions that may be perceived as sexual harassment
- The possession of weapons of any kind in hospital or health system facilities
The safety of patients and staff are a top priority of Connecticut hospitals. Behavior that jeopardizes their safety may result in potential consequences, including being asked to leave the facility.
This policy was developed at the direction of the Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) Workforce Sustainability Task Force by the Workplace Violence Prevention Work Group. It was approved by the CHA Board of Trustees on October 4, 2023.”
Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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