By CHARLENE MACAULAY
THE Australian Nursing Federation has launched a new campaign to stop increasing violence against hospital staff.
THE ANF has called on the State Government to fund $21 million in initiatives to help make hospital staff safer at work.
These include:
– Implementing standardised code grey and code black responses in all health services;
– Developing and implementing clinically-led aggression management policies and procedures;
– Funding additional security personnel 24-hours a day, seven days a week; and
– Appointing occupational health and safety experts to the Improving Hospital Safety and Security Ministerial Advisory Committee and ensuring there are no adverse consequences for nurses and midwives who speak out publicly about violence in the workplace.
“Nurses and midwives are being hit, punched, kicked, bitten, threatened with weapons and objects and are receiving death threats against themselves and their families,” ANF secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said.
Western Health last week received $75,000 to spend across its three hospitals – the Western, Sunshine and Williamstown – for extra duress alarms in the emergency department, automatic security doors, upgraded CCTV monitors and enhanced security for the waiting room and emergency department.
Western Health would not provide details on the number of attacks against hospital staff, but a previous Star report revealed staff at the three hospitals suffered more than 120 code grey incidents between July and September 2009.
Two code blacks, one including a 14-year-old girl, were also documented.
Code greys are emergencies called for aggressive or violent behaviour from a patient or visitor and code blacks are called for potential aggression involving a weapon.
Western Health OHS, Well-being and Emergency Management Services Director Steve Parker said Western Health had an emergency response plan to ensure violent situations against staff are “managed efficiently and effectively”.
“Like all health services, addressing violence and aggression to ensure that staff work in a safe environment and patients are provided with a high level of care, has been an ongoing challenge at Western Health,” Mr Parker said.
“The primary emergency response is from our specialised and well-trained security team, with additional support where required from the police.
“All staff are actively encouraged to report incidents of violence and aggression.
“Western Health recently welcomed funding from the Health Department to address occupational violence and aggression across our Emergency Departments.”
