SEIU 121rn Vice President, Monique Hernandez, RN, recently addressed the CA Senate Health Committee. She highlighted the urgent need to protect nurses, recounting a disturbing incident at her hospital.

"Earlier this year in January, a group of men tried to force their way into a four-patient room at my hospital, despite being asked to leave by another nurse. I had to physically prevent them from entering the room. They claimed to have lost their way out through one of our main entrances. After they left as I directed, the patient they were after emerged from his hiding place in the bathroom and informed me that one of the men had a gun. The patient had received a death threat upon arriving at the hospital because he owed them money. He knew to hide, but the other three patients in the room, like me, were unaware of the imminent danger.

Despite the severity of the incident, no changes were made. The men had complied with the hospital’s security policy by signing in, and no additional measures were implemented to enhance our or our patients’ protection."

Michelle Horn, RN, speaking at the CA Senate Labor Committee, emphasized,

"Among the numerous risks that nurses and other healthcare workers face daily, the prospect of encountering an emotionally charged patient or visitor armed with a dangerous weapon is the most terrifying. It poses a very real threat to our safety. However, it is also one of the easiest threats to prevent.

At present, there is no uniform state-wide policy or standard to address this threat. We are left with a patchwork of different policies, each developed at the discretion of individual hospitals. This is an inadequate approach to dealing with such a widespread and life-threatening issue."

The dedication and efforts of nurses like Monique and Michelle in Sacramento give us confidence that our bill has a strong chance of passing both houses. Together, we can secure safer hospitals for all.