ANA on the FrontlineHome Page Recent ArticlesLife at WorkWorkplace CivilityWorkplace ManagementWorkplace Violence/Abuse

Take the pledge to #EndNurseAbuse

Share

The American Nurses Association (ANA) has launched the #EndNurseAbuse initiative to increase awareness of the serious problem of physical and verbal abuse against nurses. ANA partnered with Alex Wubbels, RN, a Utah Nurses Association (UNA) member, to encourage individuals to stand with nurses and pledge to:

  • SUPPORT zero tolerance policies for violence against nurses.
  • REPORT abuse against nurses whenever you safely can.
  • SHARE this pledge and ask your friends and family to sign.

You can take the pledge by texting PLEDGE to 52886 or going to p2a.co/japlwMm.

pledge end nurse abuseWubbels, who was forcibly arrested in July when she followed her hospital’s protocol and did not allow a police officer to draw blood from an unconscious patient, wrote in an ANA guest blog post: “I truly believe that what happened to me can lead to positive change in our profession. That’s why I decided to speak out: to stop this abuse from happening to others. I’ve teamed up with ANA to ask you to sign our pledge and stop this culture of violence. I am committed to this goal so we are not put in situations where we have to fear for our safety, or have to choose between our jobs and our licenses.”

Earlier in October, Utah Nurses Association President Aimee McLean, RN, along with Salt Lake City police department Chief Mike Brown and other local police and nursing leadership, announced a new protocol for interactions between police and hospital staff in light of Wubbels’ July arrest. According to the Salt Lake City Tribune, McLean said that the new policy “clarifies the work of police and helps nurses—who provide direct care to patients—to know what to anticipate when working with law enforcement.”

In its work to curb workplace violence in health care, ANA set a zero tolerance policy in 2015. A revised position statement says, in part: “…nurses must be afforded the same level of respect and dignity as others. Thus, the nursing profession will no longer tolerate violence of any kind from any source. All RNs and employers in all settings, including practice, academia, and research, must collaborate to create a culture of respect that is free of incivility, bullying, and workplace violence.”

Learn more about ANA’s stand against workplace violence at www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/WorkplaceSafety/Healthy-Nurse/bullyingworkplaceviolence.

 

December 2017 Frontline FINAL

2 Comments.

  • Peer to Peer abuse is REAL !

  • Hello and Good Evening,
    I am writing due to an over whelming feeling that has burdened me over the last couple years being a nurse. I am very appreciative of movements such as this pledge to stop nurse violence; both physical and verbal.
    If I may, I would like to express one other piece of insight into this matter of how nurses are treated.
    Having experienced first hand and through the eyes of fellow nurses and healthcare professionals, I feel it has been time to address the significance of “mental” health. I know the term “mental” health is a taboo, but I fear not recognizing the trauma, anxiety, exhaustion that we as front line healthcare professional face, especially nurses, will be hurtful even more to the nurses and the people they care for.
    It seems as the “rush” to have patients satisfied and errors reduced only adds to more stress and anxiety. When is it time for US to have a voice. After all we went through rigorous training and schooling to head into career that doesn’t acknowledge in their “ACTIONS” that nurses are cared for. Giving praise is one thing, but setting a standard to actively support nurses during their hardships and struggles of the job is another measure to be taken.
    There is research to prove nurses are in high demand, yet nurses have one of the highest turnover and burn out rate amongst any other profession. WE as nurses truly understand this. And so I feel its important to try to connect with other like minded people to find a solution, if not a movement .

    My “idea” would be to have counselors or support groups accessible to every healthcare professional, especially nurses. As silly as that may seem to achieve, I truly believe its not within reach. Like anything, change does not happen over night. But I figured sometimes great ideas come from the woodworks of the people who experience the traumas and brutalities of what life throws at us.

    I hope this finds a reader who is empowered to at least hear this and acknowledge its more then just giving a voice, but also a solution to the problem.

    Thank you for reading this and keep up the woodwork with this movement!

    Kind regards,
    Leslie Miller

Comments are closed.

cheryl meeGet your free access to the exclusive newsletter of American Nurse Journal and gain insights for your nursing practice.

NurseLine Newsletter

  • Hidden

*By submitting your e-mail, you are opting in to receiving information from Healthcom Media and Affiliates. The details, including your email address/mobile number, may be used to keep you informed about future products and services.

Test Your Knowledge

Which of the following is correct about the stages of sleep?

Recent Posts