The Nightingale Front is a foundation dedicated to advocating for the safety of healthcare professionals in the workplace. It was born out of necessity when Tammy Scott, a dedicated nurse for nearly 20 years, found herself without support or a voice after a brutal attack by a patient while working in the Emergency Department in St. Louis. Tammy was violently stabbed in the head, neck, and arm by a deranged patient who easily breached the triage area. There was no security in the area nor were they required to be stationed in triage at the time. Left unprotected, she was ambushed from behind by a woman while triaging another patient. Despite her severe injuries, including a severed carotid artery, Tammy managed to escape and run, reaching the trauma room alone while a co-worker was also stabbed in the back trying to stop the woman. She faired well physically but also suffered severe psychological trauma. Once she reached the trauma room, Tammy’s colleagues swiftly intervened. While miraculous interventions saved her life, the aftermath was devastating. At 49 years old, Tammy believed she was at the height of her career. Instead, she found herself stripped of nearly everything—her career, income, and sense of safety. The assault left her with permanent facial paralysis due to a severed nerve and a profound loss of confidence. Despite the help of family, and overwhelming support from friends and fundraisers, Tammy— a single woman—struggled to recover physically, emotionally, and psychologically. With no other options, she was forced to rely solely on Missouri worker’s compensation for medical care and a fraction of her former income. As of the time of this publishing, the hospital has offered no settlement or support, protected by laws that shield them from liability, even in cases of obvious gross negligence. Despite numerous violent assaults in the Emergency Department over the years, the hospital failed to require security in the waiting room and triage area. It wasn’t until the day after Tammy’s near-fatal attack that they finally increased security measures—an implicit admission that more could have been done to protect her. "This is a crucial time in nursing history for telling my story. There has been a surge in violence within healthcare settings, nurses are abandoning patient bedside care at an unprecedented rate adding to the current crisis America faces in our healthcare system. By shedding light on this pressing issue, I aim to evoke vital reforms within hospitals. These changes hold the potential to not only safeguard the integrity of our profession and the viability of the healthcare industry but also to preserve the precious lives of both healthcare workers and patients." ~ Tammy Scott In the aftermath of her assault, Tammy embarked on a journey of recovery while actively striving to promote safety measures. Collaborating closely with a prosecuting attorney in St. Louis, and meeting with representatives and senators at the Missouri State Capitol. She has dedicated considerable time to fostering partnerships among hospitals, law enforcement, prosecution teams, and fellow healthcare workers who have experienced workplace violence. Sadly, regulations by governing bodies and lawmakers have failed to address the issue of workplace violence against healthcare professionals by holding hospitals accountable. Currently, laws and bills only target the assailants, imposing stiffer penalties on them. However, this approach alone is insufficient to solve the problem. Until hospitals are held accountable for their negligence, healthcare professionals will continue to face the risk of attacks like the one Tammy endured—or worse. Tammy has made it her mission to drive change in the safety and security standards for healthcare professionals. The Nightingale Front and her memoir, Frontline Survivor, mark the beginning of her crusade to ensure that all healthcare facilities provide adequate security for their staff and are held accountable if they fail to do so. She is also advocating for changes in worker’s compensation laws to reinstate liability for gross negligence. Tammy knows that no compensation can restore all she has lost, but she will be satisfied when laws change, ensuring that no other healthcare professional endures the trauma she did. On July 11th, 2022, Tammy faced two offenders—the patient who attacked her and the hospital executives who failed to protect her. Now, she is determined to make sure that no one else falls victim to the same failures.