Nurses Week 2010: RNs ask State Assembly to pass violence bill

LATHAM, May 5, 2010 - In celebration of Nurses Week, May 6-13, the New York State Nurses Association asks the State Assembly to address the growing problem of violence against nurses and pass A3103/S4018.

The bill currently before the Assembly would add attacks on registered nurses and licensed practical nurses to the same Class C Felony as attacks on police officers, firefighters, and EMTs. The State Senate, recognizing the need for this classification, has passed this bill four years in a row.

Like their counterparts who care for the public, registered nurses face acts of violence every day as a result of just doing their job. Factors such as unrestricted access in facilities by the general public, facilities that are open 24 hours a day, and the presence of gang members, drug or alcohol abusers, and distraught family members all contribute to an increase in violence against nurses. For far too long nurses have withstood these dangerous working conditions and considered violence to be “just part of the job.”

The Nurses Association asks the State Assembly to celebrate Nurses Week by protecting the nurses who care for them. Show the registered nurses of New York that violence on the job will not be tolerated and pass A3103/S4018.

The New York State Nurses Association is the voice for nursing in the Empire State. With more than 37,000 members, it is the state's largest professional association and largest union for registered nurses. It supports nurses and nursing practice through education, research, legislative advocacy, and collective bargaining.

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