Christian Stone all the time knew he wished to assist folks, first working as an EMT in New Orleans and for the previous 12 months working because the assistant nurse supervisor of an emergency room in Maryland.

“In the hospital, in the emergency room, it’s already like a tense, high-pressure situation,” he instructed the News4 I-Team.

But he by no means anticipated what occurred to him whereas caring for a affected person one night time at Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center.

“I was giving him lifesaving treatment, and next thing I know, I found myself with hands around my neck, being choked,” he mentioned. “I had a bite taken out of my shoulder.”

Fortunately, one other nurse was capable of name for assist and get the affected person off of him.

It wasn’t the primary time he or his coworkers have felt threatened.

“Almost every, every shift we get verbally attacked and threats. This is my first actual one that kind of crossed the line here for me,” mentioned Stone.

“It is a problem that it is very, very challenging to solve,” mentioned Dr. Patsy McNeil, chief medical officer for the Adventist HealthCare system.

McNeil mentioned they’ve undoubtedly observed a spike in assaults in opposition to employees, main some hospitals to extend safety.

“I’ve had chairs thrown at me. I’ve had people swing at me and people spit at me. I have had people just take containers of body fluid and throw them at me,” she mentioned.

The News4 I-Team heard related tales from different well being care employees in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.  Jason Richie with the American Nurses Association (ANA) mentioned it is one of many high points they’re listening to about from their members throughout the nation.

“One out of four nurses have reported being attacked during their career, and essentially that’s an underreported number by about 50%,” mentioned Richie.

The Labor Department says it’s a rising concern with well being care employees accounting for 73% of all nonfatal office accidents because of violence. That’s led hospitals within the D.C. area and across the nation to make security modifications.

“People bring their issues from the outside to the inside,” mentioned Toni Ardabell, chief of medical enterprise operations with Inova Health System.

She mentioned they began noticing an uptick in incidents as we got here out of the pandemic.

“Our staff did start reporting more, and we definitely saw the numbers going up. We started working with, first of all, training and education for our staff. Understanding what workplace violence is, understanding how you might deescalate a situation,” mentioned Ardabell.

Ardabell mentioned they elevated their safety by about $28 million, placing two officers, one armed and one unarmed, in every emergency division. They additionally put in new weapons detectors in any respect of Inova’s 11 ERs all through Northern Virginia.

“We’re picking up handguns, coming into facilities. We’re also picking up a lot of knives and edge weapons coming into the facility as well,” mentioned Rodney Miller, who leads the system safety and emergency administration for Inova.

In 2019, Virginia toughened up penalties for many who threaten well being care employees.

“We would like to see it be more than a misdemeanor in Virginia,” mentioned Ardabell.

Legislation making assaults a felony in Maryland went nowhere final 12 months.

Richie with the ANA helps the federal Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Act, which might require all hospitals implement prevention plans.

Right now, based on Richie, solely eight states, including Maryland, require employers have them.

But these legal guidelines can solely assist when nurses report incidents. Another massive problem is getting them to return ahead, mentioned Jessica Volz, a former ER nurse who now heads the Forensic Medical Unit at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center, which gives sources for these assaulted on the job.

“This is not a part of your job. It’s not a part of it. It’s not an expectation that this behavior is acceptable,” mentioned Volz.

She mentioned violence in opposition to well being care employees can influence the care of each affected person within the hospital.

“There is not a lot of research out there, but it would make sense that this could impact patient safety beyond the patient that is having this physical with the health care worker,” she said. “For example, if a health care worker experiences physical violence or even verbal aggression and then has to go on and care for the next patient, how does that affect their ability to concentrate and do their job as effectively as possible?”

Stone did file expenses in opposition to the affected person he mentioned attacked him. Months later, he is nonetheless caught up in courtroom.

“I think that’s why a lot of people just don’t even press charges, because it’s such a cumbersome process. I’ve been to court for probably three or four times now,” he mentioned.

McNeil mentioned for a lot of nurses who’ve been attacked, looking for justice may be simply as traumatizing.

“To be able to report these to law enforcement and go from there, the legal system requires these overtaxed, very tired, very hardworking people to take their day off, to go sit all day, often down in the courthouse to report this. And so it adds another burden to being attacked,” mentioned McNeil.

Stone mentioned he worries the elevated violence is pushing some nurses out of the sector. But he isn’t planning to go anyplace.

“At the end of the day, we still take care of that patient, and, you know, their level of care can’t be compromised just because they attacked the nurse,” he said. “I actually simply suppose public consciousness of the state of affairs needs to be recognized and that this conduct just isn’t okay.”

• Response to from Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association
• Response to from Maryland Hospital Association
• Response to from DC Hospital Association:
  “The issue of violence against health care workers continues to be a top concern of hospital team members and leadership within the District. The violence our associates experience is unacceptable and jeopardizes their ability to care for patients and feel safe at work. Our member hospitals have increased security, provided safety training, implemented de-escalation techniques, and encourage all employees to report assaults. The DC Hospital Association and its members have an ongoing partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department to ensure that cases of violence against health care workers are documented to allow for the US Attorney to prosecute the perpetrators. Our dedicated health care workers should not be subjected to violence for doing their job. Assaults on health care workers are serious and should be fully prosecuted.”

Reported by Tracee Wilkins; produced by Rick Yarborough; shot by Lance Ing, Jeff Piper and Carlos Olazagasti; and edited by Jeff Piper.