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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study on reducing workplace violence against nurses. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 105.001, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Subdivisions (3), (4), (5), and (6) to read as |
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follows: |
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(3) "Freestanding emergency medical care facility" |
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means a facility licensed under Chapter 254. |
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(4) "Home health agency" means a home and community |
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support services agency licensed under Chapter 142. |
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(5) "Hospital" means a general or special hospital |
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licensed under Chapter 241, a private mental hospital licensed |
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under Chapter 577, or a hospital that is maintained or operated by |
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this state or an agency of this state. |
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(6) "Nursing facility" means an institution licensed |
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under Chapter 242. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 105, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 105.009 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 105.009. STUDY ON WORKPLACE VIOLENCE AGAINST NURSES. |
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(a) To the extent existing funding is available, the nursing |
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resource section established under Section 105.002 may conduct a |
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study on workplace violence against nurses in hospitals, |
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freestanding emergency medical care facilities, nursing |
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facilities, and home health agencies. A study conducted under this |
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section must: |
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(1) distinguish between verbal and physical violence; |
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(2) determine the practice areas, environments, and |
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settings in which verbal or physical violence is likely to occur; |
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(3) identify practices that prevent or reduce verbal |
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and physical violence against nurses; |
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(4) survey nurses regarding the type and frequency of |
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verbal and physical violence the nurses have experienced in the |
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preceding year and throughout the nurses' careers; and |
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(5) survey hospitals, freestanding emergency medical |
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care facilities, nursing facilities, and home health agencies |
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regarding the occurrence of verbal and physical violence against |
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nurses and specific strategies implemented to prevent verbal and |
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physical violence, including: |
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(A) required reporting of verbal and physical |
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violence; |
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(B) reporting of physical assaults to law |
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enforcement; and |
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(C) implementation of a violence prevention plan |
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and the contents of and personnel covered by the plan. |
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(b) The nursing resource section may contract with an |
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independent researcher to conduct all or part of the study. |
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(c) The nursing advisory committee established by Section |
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104.0155 shall serve as the oversight committee for the study. |
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(d) To the extent possible, the nursing resource section |
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shall cooperate with the department and the Texas Board of Nursing |
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to conduct the study and coordinate the surveys under this section |
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with surveys required by other provisions of law. |
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(e) If the nursing resource section conducts a study under |
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this section, not later than December 1, 2016, the nursing resource |
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section shall complete the study and publish the study findings. |
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(f) This section expires December 31, 2017. |
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SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall adopt the rules necessary to implement |
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Section 105.009, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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