Every day, healthcare workers put their lives on the line to care for patients, yet hospitals fail to protect them from increasing violence. In the United States, nearly 75% of all workplace violence incidents occur in healthcare settings, with nurses being the most affected. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare workers are five times more likely to be assaulted on the job than employees in any other industry.

The situation has become dire:
- In 2022, more than 57% of nurses reported being physically assaulted at work (Emergency Nurses Association).
- A nurse in Pennsylvania was stabbed 17 times by a patient, while another in Indiana was beaten unconscious. These are not isolated incidents—they happen every day across the country.
- Hospitals often treat these attacks as workplace hazards rather than criminal acts, allowing perpetrators to walk free with little to no consequences.

This cannot continue. We demand immediate legislative and policy action to:
1. Make it a felony to assault a healthcare worker, just as it is for flight attendants under federal law.
2. Require metal detectors at all hospital entrances to prevent weapons from entering healthcare facilities.

These solutions have already proven effective in other industries. Airlines have successfully deterred violence against flight attendants by making assault a federal offense. Hospitals should have the same protections. Additionally, hospitals that have implemented metal detectors have seen a significant drop in violent incidents and the confiscation of weapons before they could be used.

Our healthcare workers are not punching bags. They deserve to feel safe while saving lives. We urge you to take immediate action to implement these protections before another healthcare worker is harmed.

We would appreciate the opportunity to discuss this issue further. Please let us know how we can work together to make hospitals safer for the dedicated professionals who care for our communities.