Guards escorting nurses to cars at night as SA Health sets up committee to tackle ongoing violence
Nervous nightshift nurses are being escorted to their cars as a safety precaution — as SA Health sets up a committee to tackle the ongoing violence staff experience “every single day”.
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Security guards are escorting nurses to their cars as a safety precaution following parking issues at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital and assaults that include an attack on a nurse outside the Lyell McEwin Hospital.
The guards are accompanying nightshift nurses to their cars as part of upgraded security, following a series of attacks and also a campaign by the nurses’ union for increased security.
Revelation of the guard escorts comes as a senior official says nurses face violence “every single day” — and SA Health sets up a committee.
The steering committee will oversee moves across the state to improve nurses’ safety, which already include wide-ranging initiatives including extra guards, more CCTV and improved lighting.
SA Health Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer, Jennifer Hurley, was unable to put a number on attacks on nurses but stressed any aggression was unacceptable and would not be tolerated.
She said the new committee aims to provide a safe environment for staff, patients and their families.
“SA Health has formed a new, statewide steering group to focus on improving the safety of our entire workforce, with senior nurses and midwives representatives from across our hospitals,” she said.
“It will comprise of senior leadership representatives from nursing and midwifery, medicine, allied health, mental health, as well as South Australian Ambulance Service and South Australia Police.”
Ms Hurley said following recent violent incidents, steps were taken at public hospitals such as increased on-site security as well as staff information sessions on personal and community safety and situational awareness, led by the police.
Lighting, monitoring and CCTV, security patrols and duress alarm use have also been
reviewed across hospitals.
While Ms Hurley was unable to give statistics on physical attacks on nurses, executive director of nursing at the Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, Andrew McGill said: “Violence is something we see across the site every single day.”
He noted there was intentional violence — which may be spurred by drug use including ice — and also unintentional violence from patients suffering issues such as mental illness and dementia.
Security guards now take nurses to their cars while a new $7 million, 205-space car park is planned for the Lyell McEwin. A nurse stabbed while on a break outside the hospital is “doing well” and is expected to be back at work later this month, Ms McGill said.
Executive director of nursing and midwifery at the Women’s and Children’s Health Network Jenny Fereday said her group is meeting with Adelaide City Council over parking problems for nurses in North Adelaide hospitals.
“We have security guards who take nurses to their cars — they also go in groups to their cars,” she said.
“The recent changes have exacerbated the problems and we are talking to council about it.”
Adelaide City Council is preparing to vote on whether to press ahead with a review into parking issues, which would be complete by October.
Crs Phil Martin and Anne Moran met with members of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation SA, Car Parking Crisis North Adelaide Hospitals Facebook group and “other affected parties” yesterday.
The council’s “intent (is) to address possible solutions to the issues raised regarding parking” at a committee workshop next week.
Nurses union SA secretary Elizabeth Dabars said action to tackle the escalating violence was needed now.
“We are certainly pleased that the Government has taken on board the very clear message from nurses and midwives that they have been giving for some time that the issue of violence is a very serious one,” Ms Dabars said.
“We acknowledge that they are accepting this as an issue. However, what we need now is action. For every week that we do not have action, even more nurses, midwives and their patients and visitors are being exposed to violence. That is unacceptable.”