Faced with a growing number of assaults against nurses and other medical providers by out-of-control patients, a proposal at the Legislature seeks to stiffen the penalties for such attacks.
Rep. Joe Atkins, DFL-Inver Grove Heights, wants to increase prison sentences and fines to equal those who attack police officers.
"There should be the same protections and penÂalÂties for atÂtackÂing a nurse as there are for atÂtackÂing othÂer public safeÂty ofÂfiÂcials," Atkins said Wednesday.
State law provides for a three-year prison sentence and $6,000 fine against those who harm law enforcement officials. But those convicted of assaulting nurses, doctors, firefighters and emergency medical technicians get two-year sentences and $4,000 fines.
According to a recent Star Tribune analysis, nurses are beÂing atÂtacked in reÂcord numÂbers. This year, nurses have filed 46 workÂers' comÂpenÂsaÂtion claims for atÂtacks and inÂtenÂtionÂal inÂjuÂries sufÂfered while on duty in hosÂpiÂtals, the anÂalyÂsis found. The numÂber of atÂtacks is on pace to double that of 2012 and 2013.
The problem goes beyond Minnesota. A 2011 U.S. Justice Department study found that more than 400,000 nurses and other health care professionals are the victims of violent crimes in the workplace every year. According to the American Nurses Association, one in every four nurses listed physical assault as their top job safety concern.
On Nov. 2, an elÂderÂly paÂtient at St. John's Hospital in Maplewood attacked and inÂjured four nurses with a metal bar. The paÂtient, who sufÂfered from deÂluÂsions, died as poÂlice officers worked to handÂcuff him three blocks from the hosÂpiÂtal, officials said.
"The reÂcent atÂtack at our hosÂpiÂtal is just anÂothÂer exÂamÂple of the risÂing trend of viÂoÂlence we're seeÂing in hospitals and care faÂciliÂties across the counÂtry," Gwynn PepÂin, a nurse at St. John's, said in supÂport of Atkins' proÂposÂal.
Atkins said his proÂposÂal may exÂpand to enÂcomÂpass othÂer protections for nurses as he further exÂplores the isÂsue with lawmakers and nursÂing proÂfesÂsionÂals. The state alÂreadÂy has spearÂheaded a task force to adÂdress viÂoÂlence in the health care field and creÂatÂed a tool kit for health faÂciliÂties.
"I hope this is biÂparÂtiÂsan legÂisÂlaÂtion that we can work toÂgether on early in the legisÂlaÂtive sesÂsion," Atkins said. Atkins now leads the House Commerce and ConÂsumÂer Protection FiÂnance and Policy Committee, but will reÂlinÂquish that post in JanÂuÂarÂy, when the Republican maÂjorÂiÂty takes over the House.
Rep. Tony Cornish, R-VerÂnon Center, the inÂcomÂing chair of the House Public Safety and Crime Prevention commitÂtee, said he would give Atkins' proÂposÂal a full airÂing in his comÂmitÂtee. But, he said, he is skeptical about inÂcreasÂing crimÂiÂnal penÂalÂties unÂless there is sound eviÂdence for doing so.
He notÂed that in the case of the St. John's atÂtack, the paÂtient who wieldÂed the metal bar reportedly was conÂfused and disÂoriÂentÂed, so toughÂer penÂalÂties would not necÂesÂsarÂiÂly have preÂventÂed the inÂciÂdent.
"I don't see how that would be a big deÂterÂrent, how that would keep someÂone from comÂmitÂting a crime like that," Cornish said.
Sue Abderholden, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Minnesota, said she sympathizes with the danger nurses face, but said bigger penalties may afford little protection.
"I don't think a blanket change like that is going to be effective," Abderholden said. "We could end up criminalizing people … who were not really aware of what they were doing."
RaÂchel E. Stassen-Berger • Twitter: @RachelSB