State Assembly Holds Public Hearing on Increasing Penalties for Assaulting a Nurse
Thursday, September 19th, 2019 -- 10:05 AM
(WRN) -The State Assembly held a public hearing on Thursday on a new bill that would increase the penalties for assaulting a nurse.The state assembly is considering a bill that would increase the penalties to harm a nurse on duty. Margaret Schmelzer is the former Public Health Nurse Director for Wisconsin, and she says nurses who are performing public check ups and home visits fear for their safety.
"Just the potential threat that the nurses experience going to see patients in their home, because may think, well they're carrying drugs."
Schmelzer testified that many of her colleagues are especially worried about their safety when they're doing home visits.
"I think we need to look at both the current and potential aspects for violence against nurses and our health care providers."
Schmelzer is the former Public Health Nurse Director for Wisconsin, and she shared the story of a colleague who was severely injured by a patient during a surgical procedure.
"When you have dedicated your life to caring for others, such and attack challenges the very essence of what brought you to this profession."
The bill would put nurses in the same category as EMTs and firefighters when it comes to handling the severity of punishments. The bill was up for a public hearing on Wednesday.
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