12 November 2020
Article from October 2020 INPractice
The ANMF (SA Branch)'s commitment to tackling violence within the workplace took a positive turn this year ... with the successful Enterprise Bargaining Agreement commitment by the State Government to the early implementation of anti-violence and fatigue policies throughout the health system.
And our Crime Stoppers initiative has been widely embraced by hospital sites, particularly in regional areas where security is often sadly lacking.
Unfortunately. violence involving hospital patients in South Australia continues to rise, with an average of 36 Code Black incidents a day this year.
Nurses and health care staff are being punched, kicked, spat at, bitten, strangled, even threatened with bowel movements. In one incident this year a Modbury nurse was almost killed. Knocked unconscious, she had to be revived with CPR, after being found with no pulse, not breathing and turning purple.
Last July a woman was arrested after allegedly spitting on a pregnant nurse at Mount Gambier Hospital, prompting calls from the ANMF (SA Branch) for urgent new security measures.
According to media reports, the arrested woman was a convicted murderer with an extensive criminal history, including previous sentences for three counts of assault and two counts of aggravated assault.
ANMF (SA Branch) has been proactive in its efforts to combat the issue of violence head-on, partnering with Crime Stoppers, which provides people with the opportunity to anonymously report what they know about unsolved crimes and suspicious activity.
This Crime Stoppers campaign includes the placement of prominent signage around car parks and other high-risk areas which have sadly been the site for a number of serious assaults, including one incident last year which left a nurse with stab injuries to her neck.
More than 40 hospital and health care facilities across the state have joined the ANMF-Crime Stoppers cause, including such Murraylands and Mallee region sites as Lameroo District Health Services, Murray Bridge Soldiers Memorial Hospital and Health Service and Murray Mallee Aged Care Group.
Murray Mallee Aged Care Group deputy chief executive officer foster Davis said resources accessed through the partnership would help protect staff.
We have support workers, nurses, and other staff members working independently to care for clients in their own homes across a number of areas in South Australia, as well tenants and on-site managers at our retirement living community, Warner Close," Mr Davis told The Murray Valley Standard.
We are glad to welcome the ANMF and Crime Stoppers initiative," he said.
Crime Stoppers last month released its half-year results, which saw nearly 10,000 calls received in the first six months of the year and more than 2,800 online reports.
Over 6,000 information reports were taken from the community and nearly 6,500 actions issued to police for investigation, resulting in the seizure of firearms, clandestine labs and arrests of people for murder, armed robberies and violent assaults.
If your site is interested in learning more about the Crime Stoppers initiative contact us today by emailing [email protected]
"We are proud of the strong and sustained actions taken by our members to help stamp out violence against health care professionals," ANMF (SA Branch) Adj. Associate Professor Elizabeth Dabars AM said.
"We will continue to work with our members to ensure that issues pertaining to violence are urgently and comprehensively addressed.
"While we welcome SA Health's commitment to the early implementation of anti-violence policies, the reality is health care workers are facing the risk of physical harm every time they go to work, Ms Dabars said.
"We urgently need action now and not more timelines for implementation plans to be enacted.
"Appropriate measures need to be put in place to be able to deal with and prevent the threat of violence.
"Nurses, midwives and personal care workers all deserve to feel safe at work."
Share your experiences
ANMF members, non-members and supporters are encouraged to stand up and make a difference to the safety and security of professionals across our health care system by reporting their experiences with violence - as they happen - via our online reporting tool, to help us shine a spotlight on the near-daily attacks on nurses, midwives and personal care workers.
You can access the reporting tool at
anmfsa.org.au/violence
Click
here to read the October 2020 edition of INPractice