Minnesota Hospital Fined After Startling Number Of Violent Incidents

Creating a safe working environment is something every employer should make a top priority as it not only protects its employees but also ensures the safety of those who patronize the business.

Recently, a troubling series of incidents were reported in a Minnesota hospital focusing on the lack of workplace violence protections at the facility.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) looked into operations at the hospital over a six-month period, from December 2023 to May 2024, and its report has now validated what nurses have been reporting for years.

OSHA cited the hospital with over a dozen “serious” violations of workplace violence and a penalty has been levied. Now, the Minnesota Nurses Association is demanding that further steps be taken to protect staff.

 A Troubling Trend At Abbott Northwestern Hospital

Abbott Northwestern Hospital, located at 800 E 28th Street in Minneapolis, is a part of the Allina Health network of hospitals and clinics. According to the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA), nurses at the hospital have been raising the alarm about the lack of workplace violence protections for years.

The MNA notes that workplace violence at Abbott Northwestern has surged dramatically in recent years, despite MNA nurses consistently raising the alarm.

Between 2021 and 2023, the hospital saw over 46 reportable incidents of workplace violence. However, in just the first five months of 2024, that number jumped to 198 incidents, representing an 800% increase.

As a result, Abbott Northwestern’s rate of workplace violence now stands at 295 incidents per 10,000 workers—far exceeding the national average of 6 per 10,000 workers and even surpassing rates seen in correctional facilities.

OSHA Discovers Over A Dozen "Serious" Violations Of Work Place Violence

According to OSHA, a serious violation exists "when the workplace hazard could cause an accident or illness that would most likely result in death or serious physical harm unless the employer did not know or could not have known of the violation.”

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Over just six months, Abbott Northwestern Hospital was guilty of over a dozen serious violations. OSHA discovered alarming levels of workplace violence at the hospital, which put nurses and other healthcare workers at significant risk. Therefore, OSHA levied a penalty of $83,600 against Allina Health.

Jen Stanerson, the Emergency Department RN and MNA Chair at Abbott Northwestern says the findings and subsequent OSHA fines show that "Abbott doesn’t have an adequate violence prevention program to train and protect our nurses to defend themselves from the workplace violence that they experience every single day.”

She adds that the employer "has declined to make violence education mandatory, and as a result, they won’t pay nurses overtime to receive violence prevention and education training that would help prevent and de-escalate the numerous incidents nurses are facing at Abbott day in and day out.”

MNA Demands Allina Health Take Further Steps To Address Workplace Safety

The MNA says that the fine issued by OSHA rightly highlights the hospital’s ongoing negligence in addressing dangerous conditions, but it's only a small step toward holding Allina Health accountable.

The MNA says that since Allina Health has failed to take adequate action to protect its staff, they are once again calling on the hospital to add additional safety measures, including:

• The creation of a Behavioral Emergency Response Team (BERT)
• Mandatory workplace violence prevention training

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Nurses will continue to advocate for immediate and comprehensive measures to address workplace violence at Abbott Northwestern to ensure the safety of nurses and other healthcare workers.

The Minnesota Nurses Association says its nurses will not stop fighting 'until our nurses and patients are given the protections they deserve.'

Allina Health Files A Notice Of Contest In Response To OSHA's Citations

In response to OSHA's report and fine, Aliina Health has filed a notice of contest regarding OSHA’s citations, noting that seven citations relate to one patient's care.

Allina Health issued the following statement:

Communities and businesses, including hospitals throughout the country, are experiencing the troubling trend of increased violent events. Allina Health takes significant precautions to mitigate violence to ensure the safety and well-being of our care team members while providing care to those who need it.

In addition to our strong security presence, Abbott Northwestern Hospital provides violence prevention training to registered nurses.