California nurses demand better workplace violence protection
After multiple violent attacks on registered nurses – and just ahead of upcoming contract negotiations –nurses this week held a demonstration in front of Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka, California to demand that a workplace violence prevention proposal be included in their contract.
"Registered nurses go to work with the goal of helping our patients heal. We must be allowed to do this in the safest possible environment—because if we aren’t safe, how can we keep our patients, families and visitors safe?” said inpatient rehab unit RN Lesley Ester. “Violence impacts everyone in the vicinity, and our employer should be doing everything in its power to stop violence before it occurs. Nurses are experts on the specific dangers we face, day to day, in our specific units, and we call on St. Joseph Health to embrace our workplace violence prevention proposal.”