A. Every person who, without justifiable or excusable cause and with intent to do bodily harm, commits any aggravated assault and battery or any assault with a firearm or other deadly weapon upon the person of a medical care provider, upon conviction, is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment in the custody of the Department of Corrections for a term not less than two (2) years nor more than five (5) years, or by a fine not to exceed 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 or independent contractors working in or for a health care facility.