Texas Administrative Code
Title 26 - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Part 1 - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION
Chapter 509 - FREESTANDING EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE FACILITIES
Subchapter C - OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Section 509.70 - Workplace Violence Prevention

Universal Citation: 26 TX Admin Code § 509.70

Current through Reg. 50, No. 13; March 28, 2025

(a) In accordance with Texas Health and Safety Code (HSC) §331.002, a facility shall establish a workplace violence prevention committee or authorize an existing facility committee to develop a workplace violence prevention plan.

(b) A facility shall ensure the committee includes at least:

(1) one registered nurse who provides direct care to the facility's patients;

(2) one physician licensed to practice medicine in this state who provides direct care to the facility's patients; and

(3) one facility employee who provides security services for the facility if any and if practicable.

(c) A health care system that owns or operates more than one facility, as that term is defined by HSC §331.001, may establish a single workplace violence prevention committee for all of the system's facilities if:

(1) the committee develops a violence prevention plan for implementation at each facility in the system; and

(2) data related to violence prevention remains distinctly identifiable for each facility in the system.

(d) A facility shall adopt, implement, and enforce a written workplace violence prevention policy to protect health care providers and employees from violent behavior and threats of violent behavior occurring at the facility. In accordance with HSC §331.003, the policy shall:

(1) require the facility to:
(A) provide significant consideration of the violence prevention plan recommended by the facility's committee; and

(B) evaluate any existing facility violence prevention plan;

(2) encourage health care providers and facility employees to provide confidential information on workplace violence to the committee;

(3) include a process to protect from retaliation facility health care providers or employees who provide information to the committee; and

(4) comply with HHSC rules relating to workplace violence.

(e) A facility shall adopt, implement, and enforce a written workplace violence prevention plan developed by the committee. In accordance with HSC §331.004, the plan shall:

(1) be based on a facility setting;

(2) adopt a definition of "workplace violence" that includes:
(A) an act or threat of physical force against a health care provider or employee that results in, or is likely to result in, physical injury or psychological trauma; and

(B) an incident involving the use of a firearm or other dangerous weapon, regardless of whether a health care provider or employee is injured by the weapon;

(3) require the facility to at least annually provide workplace violence prevention training or education that may be included in other required training or education provided to the facility's health care providers and employees who provide direct patient care;

(4) prescribe a system for responding to and investigating violent incidents or potentially violent incidents at the facility;

(5) address physical security and safety;

(6) require the facility to solicit information from health care providers and employees when developing and implementing a workplace violence prevention plan;

(7) allow health care providers and employees to report workplace violence incidents through the facility's existing occurrence reporting systems; and

(8) require the facility to adjust patient care assignments, to the extent practicable, to prevent a health care provider or facility employee from treating or providing services to a patient who has intentionally physically abused or threatened the provider or employee.

(f) The written workplace violence prevention plan may satisfy the requirements of subsection (e) of this section by referencing other internal facility policies and documents.

(g) At least annually after the date a facility adopts a written workplace violence prevention plan required by subsection (e) of this section, the committee shall:

(1) review and evaluate the workplace violence prevention plan; and

(2) report the results of the evaluation to the facility's governing body.

(h) Each facility shall make available on request an electronic or printed copy of the facility's workplace violence prevention plan to each health care provider or facility employee. If the committee determines the plan contains information that would pose a security threat if made public, the committee may redact that information before providing the plan.

(i) In accordance with HSC §331.005, after an incident of workplace violence occurs, a facility shall offer immediate post-incident services, including any necessary acute medical treatment for each facility health care provider or employee who is directly involved in the incident.

(j) In accordance with HSC §331.005, a facility may not discourage a health care provider or employee from exercising the provider's or employee's right to contact or file a report with law enforcement regarding a workplace violence incident.

(k) In accordance with HSC §331.005, a facility shall prohibit facility personnel from disciplining, including by suspension or termination of employment, discriminating against, or retaliating against another person who:

(1) in good faith reports a workplace violence incident; or

(2) advises a health care provider or employee of the provider's or employee's right to report a workplace violence incident.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Texas may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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