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Senate spotlights workplace violence against health-care workers; hospital officials urge continued action
Summary
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 38 drew testimony from ChristianaCare officials and passed (adoption not separately recorded on the roll call). Speakers described patient assaults on caregivers, cited a 2022 law expanding protections for health-care workers, and urged continued collaboration among hospitals, law enforcement and legislators.
The Delaware Senate took time on March 27 to highlight workplace violence affecting health-care workers and to consider a resolution urging prevention and awareness.
Senator Marie Pinkney introduced the measure, saying the resolution "is for her" — recounting the account of a nurse who left a high-acuity unit after being assaulted by a patient and developing post-traumatic stress. Pinkney asked for personal privilege to introduce Susan Mascale of ChristianaCare to the podium.
Susan Mascale, identified on the floor as vice president for nursing quality and safety at ChristianaCare, told senators, "Violence against health-care workers is a complex global issue, significantly impacting caregivers across all health-care settings." She described ChristianaCare—s system-wide initiative over the past four years to reduce workplace violence and noted that Delaware—s 2022 legislation expanded protections by making certain assaults against health-care workers second-degree offenses.
Senator Hansen and others noted that workplace violence is also a problem at the Delaware Psychiatric Center, particularly in older facilities such as the Mitchell Building, and called for continued study and capital improvements to reduce risk and staff turnover.
Nut graf: testimony and floor remarks underscored that workplace assaults are occurring across settings, that hospitals have ongoing prevention programs, and that lawmakers should coordinate with health systems and law enforcement while balancing concerns about criminalization.
Ending: The floor discussion included multiple acknowledgments of hospital staff in the gallery and calls for further collaboration; no separate roll-call vote was recorded solely for SCR 38 in the transcript beyond floor recognition and associated remarks.
