While Congress debated the merits of gun control in June, tragedy struck at Norristown State Hospital in Norristown, PA, where a registered nurse and disgruntled former employee killed a nurse manager and critically injured an assistant superintendent for nursing services after holding them hostage for several hours. The gunman was fired from the hospital in April after working there for more than a decade. Allegedly angry about how he had been treated, he took the two nurses hostage, suspecting that they played a role in his firing. After two days of negotiations with police, the gunman started shooting. This tragedy is just the latest incident that has made workplace violence an increasing concern for RNs.
Institutions can start by assessing their potential for workplace violence.
Employers should form safety and prevention committees that include management and frontline health care workers that can focus on threat assessment, training and prevention. RNs need to be active in working with their employers and participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of these programs. In the wake of the tragedy in Pennsylvania, ANA, long an advocate for strict gun control measures, renewed its call for swift congressional action. Violence Potential Assessment Tool . The labor organization would support the development and operation of local negotiating units to represent employed physicians and eligible residents.