COLUMBUS, Ohio - A Northeast Ohio lawmaker says he’ll introduce a bill to protect nurses and other healthcare professionals from violence at their places of work.

 State Rep. Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) announced on Thursday that he plans to introduce legislation addressing workplace violence in healthcare settings.

This announcement was made during a nurse rally at the Ohio Statehouse yesterday.

Violence against healthcare workers has been on the rise in recent years and was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news release from Weinstein’s office.

The American Nurses Association reports that 1 in 4 nurses is assaulted while on the job, and in 2018, healthcare workers accounted for 73% of all workplace violence injuries. 

“Our doctors and nurses care for us and our families at our most vulnerable moments. They give so much of themselves to their patients, and it’s time we show them that we have their backs,” said Rep. Weinstein. “Everyone deserves to feel safe in the workplace, and this bill is a step in the right direction.”

The bill, which Weinstein says will be introduced next week would instruct healthcare employers to create and maintain workplace prevention plans, as well as require violence prevention and de-escalation training for healthcare setting employees, volunteers, and contracted security personnel.

Under the bill, the Ohio Department of Health would be instructed to create system for statewide workplace violence reporting and compile regular statistical reports of all incidences for review.