Article written by Renuka Rayasam, via https://www.npr.org on 15 May 2023
Nearly 40 states have laws that establish or increase penalties for assaults on health care workers, according to the American Nurses Association.
Critics worry that establishing hospital police forces will escalate violence in health care settings and could have unintended effects.
Health care workers are five times as likely to experience violence as employees in other industries, according to federal data.
Still, little data exists on whether such forces are effective at preventing hospital violence.
While the threat of violence is concerning, hospitals can spend more on health care staffing, boost overall training and teach de-escalation skills.