INDIANAPOLIS — A bill aimed at protecting all healthcare employees passed a Senate vote on Thursday.
Healthcare workers feel it would have a major impact on reducing workplace violence and could potentially boost morale.
Lauren Fogt has been in the medical field for over two decades.
She said being verbally or physically assaulted by a patient is far too common.
"It can go anywhere from being called names or being yelled at to spit on, hit. We are kicked, shoved. It's happened to her," said Fogt. "He grabbed me, and he threw me up against a wall, and he struck me. I was 21 years old."
She said on top of already challenging staffing issues across Indiana hospitals, people are leaving the healthcare industry because of the violence they endure.
"It has caused people to leave the profession, and we need as many nurses as we can get right now and moving forward," she said.
That's why she's fighting for SB 419 to make it through the statehouse.
If passed and signed into law, it would make violence towards "any" healthcare worker a crime.
"This would be pharmacists. This would be CNAs or techs. This would be transporters, EVS, security, obviously, some of our ancillary folks are facilities folks who keep our buildings going. They're all healthcare workers," she said.
Right now, only licensed professionals are protected against battery.
"It's not going to be tolerated. People know not to assault a police officer or a fireman, they're trying to help. We're only trying to help our patients," she said.
"I think it's going to do a lot for the community of healthcare workers, and I think it's going to improve patient care too. Because when you're taking care of a patient and these things happen, you have to take time to sort through that trauma. And that takes our focus away from caring for our patients," she said.
Lawmakers have expressed concerns over simple intimidation or the impact this could have on patients suffering from behavioral health issues.
The Indiana Hospital Association said that's not who will be targeted.
"This is a broader protection against those people that do have capacity, that are still coming into the facilities and hurting our healthcare workers, and that just shouldn't be tolerated," she said.
IHA said workplace violence is under-reported across the state.
Out of 14,000 Hoosiers who took a survey in 2023, 34% reported physical violence and 44% reported verbal abuse.
