Bill > HB3401

This bill mandates that healthcare facilities, including hospitals, establish a workplace violence prevention committee responsible for developing and implementing a plan to protect healthcare professionals and employees from violent behavior. This committee must include a registered nurse, a physician, and a security employee if practicable, and the plan must be based on the specific practice setting, encourage confidential reporting of violence, protect reporters from retaliation, define workplace violence to include threats and the use of weapons, require annual training, establish a system for responding to incidents, address physical security, solicit employee input, allow reporting through existing systems, and allow for adjustments in patient assignments to prevent employees from treating patients who have previously abused or threatened them. Facilities must offer immediate post-incident services to those involved in violence, cannot discourage reporting to law enforcement, and cannot discipline or retaliate against individuals who report violence or advise others of their rights. The bill also allows for disciplinary action against those who violate these provisions and grants immunity to facilities and professionals acting in good faith to comply. Additionally, hospitals must display a warning sign in emergency and labor and delivery waiting rooms stating that assaulting a healthcare professional is a serious crime.