Thread by @BoshartDavisAg

"I was working in the ER, I was 7 weeks pregnant. My husband & I were so excited. I was helping with a patient who was being violent and a danger to self/others. They were able to kick me in the abdomen. 3 wks later, we lost the baby." #orleg #PassHB4142

2/ "My coworker was assaulted last June. She had multiple closed fist hits to her head/neck, resulting in a significant head injury that kept her out of work for months & up to now can only work for a short time due to lingering problems from the assault." #orleg #PassHB4142

3/ "The passage of HB4142 is critical. Healthcare workers are leaving the profession in droves." #orleg #nursetwitter #PassHB4142

4/ "I can't tell you how many times me and my colleagues got punched, kicked, spit on, thrown urine on, splashed blood, had broken arms, concussion, thrown computers and chairs at us, etc by our patients. Every time we try to report these assaults, we are discouraged..." #orleg

5/ "...we are discouraged because we know it won't lead anywhere. And if it does our DA will throw it out because its a misdemeanor. There is no responsibility and accountability for people who assault health care workers." #orleg #PassHB4142

6/ "I have been punched, kicked, and verbally assaulted countless times, knowing full well that ZERO consequences would ever be incurred by the offender. We are trained to serve other's needs before our own. Recently, the cost of our oath has become too high." #orleg #PassHB4142

7/ "I personally have been kicked while pregnant, spit at, grabbed with the intent to harm. I have a co-worker who has been strangled, yet the man is free. I have a co-worker who's hand was broken, yet the man is free." #orleg #PassHB4142

8/ "I have a co-worker who was whipped over his head with monitoring cables, yet no punishment for the person. This has to stop." #orleg #PassHB4142

9/ "It is about time the world stops abusing nurses." #PassHB4142 #orleg #nursetwitter

10/ "Please hear our plea for help on this critical issue. We are getting hurt, often times beyond our ability to continue in our chosen profession. It is time we are protected from violence in the workplace." #orleg #PassHB4142

11/ "I've seen too many coworkers get punched, kicked, strangled, have shoulders torn, and more... protect the ones who have dedicated their life to helping others." #orleg #PassHB4142

12/ "I was recently a victim of physical violence from a patient my unit was caring for. I went in to the patient’s room because she was yelling and her family called for help. When I went into her room she began yelling at me then suddenly came off the bed..." #orleg #PassHB4142

13/ "...and punched me in my right eye. I suffered a fracture of the orbital bone and damage to my eye which I am still being treated for. This was an unprovoked attack. I missed three days of work and have had
several medical appointments since the injury." #orleg #PassHB4142

14/ "I did not become a nurse to receive physical violence as part of my profession and work
environment. I should not have to endure assaults from patients who are receiving care." #orleg #PassHB4142

15/ "I am an RN in a Portland ED. I was punched in the face by a patient 2 yrs ago near the start of covid. I filed a police report with an officer who tried multiple times to convince me it wasn’t worth his time since the DA wouldn’t take the case as it was so minor." #orleg

16/ "Experiences I have on my nightly ER shifts have left me debating leaving emergency nursing all together. I have been grabbed, pushed, kicked, hit, attempted to be choked and bit, I have had items thrown at me multiple times." #orleg #PassHB4142

17/ "I've had a patient say "I am going to wait outside and follow to you to your car and rape you", I've been told "I am going to murder you" sadly more than once. I have seen a patient take an IV pole and swing it at staff." #orleg #PassHB4142

18/ "I have had a patient armed with a butcher knife. I have been hit in the stomach while pregnant, along with another nurse I work with who had to be taken off the floor, after being hit in the stomach while pregnant due to abdominal pain." #orleg #PassHB4142

19/ "I've had a man grab my hand in an attempt to
grope him while I was changing him out of soiled clothes. I truly could go on and on. These are just a very small number of incidents that have happened as so many go unnoticed." #orleg #PassHB4142

20/ "In most cases we don't even have time to process what's happening to us as the patients keep flooding in & we are needed elsewhere. We are drained mentally and physically. I have moved to part time from FT because I simply can't take the continued decrease in safety." #orleg

21/ "I feel like we have nowhere to turn. Nothing comes of these incidents & people know coming to the ER they will not have any legal repercussions. We deserve to feel safe at work, we deserve to feel like we are not punching bags for patients, we deserve more than this." #orleg

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