Member leaders of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East are calling for greater staffing and safety measures for caregivers and other staff at all facilities after a nurse at HCA Florida Palms West Hospital was viciously attacked by a patient.

In addition to numerous meetings with HCA, town halls with workers and other actions/communications, 1199SEIU Florida has drafted a petition demanding various steps to better protect against workplace violence, the safety of workers on the job, as well as patients under their care.

The petition begins: “As employees dedicated to our patients’ well-being and our hospital’s smooth operation, we feel compelled to address a pressing concern regarding safety measures within our hospital. We have observed an alarming rise in incidents involving workplace violence related to healthcare workers, including the recent tragic, violent attack on a nurse at HCA Palms West Hospital. We are being impacted mentally, emotionally, and physically due to these issues and safety protocols at our hospital need to change. These incidents not only pose a direct threat to the safety of our patients and staff but also create an atmosphere of apprehension and insecurity, and we have significant concerns about gaps in our security protocols.”

The petition, developed with direct input from 1199SEIU members at Palms West and other HCA facilities, outlines numerous heightened measures, including:

-- Law enforcement officers and metal detectors on site.

-- Bag searches of patients/guests, and regular security patrols on the floors.

-- Panic buttons connected to law enforcement agency dispatchers.

-- All manic/violent patients immediately transferred/admitted to suitable care environment.

-- Adequate safe staffing levels and training for workers across departments.

-- Zero-tolerance policy for threats to healthcare staff.

The attack and 1199SEIU efforts to improve safety have led to extensive media coverage on various news outlets, which might help influence hospital operators to implement improved safety protocols.

“First, of course, our organization sends our deepest wishes for a rapid recovery to the victim of this tragic attack. It’s especially sad and distressing when a committed caregiver is critically hurt on the job while providing care to others,” said Stephanie Shaw, 1199SEIU Florida Vice President for HCA East hospitals. “As a union, the well-being and safety of workers is core to our mission. We demand contracts to ensure safe staffing levels, procedures and other policies that protect caregivers and patients. The current petition reflects and reinforces these points.”