MACON, Ga. — Plans are in the works to make conditions safer for hospital workers and patients across Georgia. Governor Brian Kemp recently signed the "Safer Hospitals Act" into law. It increases punishments for violent acts against health-care workers and lets hospitals create their own police forces.
Lisa Hallman is a registered nurse at Atrium Health Navicent's emergency room. She says there's two officers in the ER helping to make sure she's safe.
"It makes us feel safer and better so that we can take care of the patients and not be worried about what's going on around us," Hallman said.
Atrium Health Navicent established its police department back in 1975, according to Chief Jesse Crowder. Atrium is the only health system in the area with a police department.
"I've had several hospitals reaching out just wanting to share how we got established and different things to help them be successful," Crowder said.
Crowder says before the 1970s, the local police department used to assign officers to patrol, but with the increase in calls, they needed their own department.
"A lot of times, we find that having that police presence oftentimes deescalates situations," Crowder said.
According to Nurse.org, National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators in 2022 did a survey that found on average, two nurses are assaulted every hour in the U.S. Psychiatric units, ERs, and pediatric units see the highest numbers of assaults. Hallman's worked as an ER nurse for 10 years.
"Tempers are high and emotions are high, and families get upset, patients are upset, so it can be a little concerning sometimes how irate people can get," she said.
Crowder says anything that happens in the community ends up at the hospital if it's bad enough, including shooting victims, as the area’s largest health-care facility and only trauma unit. It's important to make sure they've got safety covered. Atrium started with 27 police officers back in the '70s. Now, they have around 45, and they're looking to keep growing.