A. Every person who, without justifiable or excusable cause and with intent to do bodily harm, commits any assault, battery or assault and battery upon the person of a medical care provider who is performing medical care duties, upon conviction, is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for a term not exceeding two (2) years, or by a fine not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.

B. As used in this section, “medical care provider” means doctors, residents, interns, nurses, nurses' aides, ambulance attendants and operators, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, laboratory technicians, radiologic technologists, physical therapists, physician assistants, chaplains, volunteers, pharmacists, nursing students, medical students, members of a hospital security force, and any other employees working in or for a health care facility or independent contractors in one of the listed categories.