NURSES have vowed to step up their campaign over violence in Victorian hospitals as the state government resists calls for extra security guards in wards.
Frustrated by the government’s delay on a $21 million promise to curb hospital violence, the Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) launched a campaign on May 19 demanding a raft of extra safety measures in hospitals including Sunshine, Western and Williamstown.
ANF branch secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said two dozen reported attacks against nurses in the past four months were only the tip of the iceberg.
‘‘We see an increasing culture of fear,’’ she said. ‘‘We know that nurses are being encouraged strongly to take special paid leave by hospitals rather than reporting the incident officially and through the independent regulator.’’
Reported attacks include a patient’s relative bashing a nurse for serving sandwiches rather than a hot meal.
Casual threats of extreme violence are part of life for all nurses, according to Jackie, who did not want her surname published.
She has worked for 17 years in regional and metropolitan Victorian hospitals and said patients had twice threatened to hunt down and kill her and her family.
“I looked after a woman who said, ‘If I ever see you out on the street you better be on the other side of the road or you’re dead’,’’ Jackie said.
“She happened to live in my neighbourhood and I saw her at a local supermarket. I looked up and had a moment of, ‘Oh my God’, but there was nowhere to hide.”
Jackie estimates that more than half of all incidents go unreported because staff lack the faith that action will be taken.
“I have seen it so many times where someone has been more than happy to abuse you, but as soon as there is a security guard they stop.”
The ANF campaign is seeking public support via on online petition calling on the government to implement the 39 recommendations of a parliamentary inquiry into security arrangements in hospitals.
Measures include standardised code grey and code black responses, improved aggression management and extra security personnel.
Premier Denis Napthine said the government had committed $5.6 million to improve emergency department safety and $12 million to help hospitals deal with drug and alcohol-affected patients.
Dr Napthine said hospitals were introducing CCTV cameras and duress alarms and providing extra training to improve the safety of staff and patients.
Ms Fitzpatrick said the government needed to address long waiting times, which were a major cause of emergency department violence.
Health Minister David Davis said the government had provided $75,000 to Western Health to improve safety and security.
