In the wake of two patient attacks on nurses at a B.C. psychiatric hospital within 10 days, the B.C. Nurses Union is calling for safety officers to be assigned to each unit.
According to the union, one nurse was assaulted on Aug. 5 and another on Aug. 13, resulting in 鈥渟evere facial lacerations鈥� and a 鈥渟evere head injury鈥� while working at the Coquitlam Forensic Psychiatric Hospital, according to union president Christine Sorensen.
鈥淏oth nurses were providing care within the max security unit at the time,鈥� said Sorensen.
While she acknowledged that 鈥渢hese patients do have psychiatric conditions鈥� and are the 鈥渕ost clinically difficult,鈥� Sorensen said that 鈥渘o injuries should take place for both patients and staff.鈥�
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Sorensen said that the union has been calling for increased in-unit security for a long time, noting that attacks like these are 鈥渘ot unusual for this facility.鈥�
But the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), which operates hospitals in B.C., said that they don鈥檛 believe having in-unit guards would help.
According to CEO of Complex Mental Health and Substance Use Connie Coniglio, in-unit guards can do more harm than good and lead to 鈥渕ore aggressive acts.鈥�
鈥淥ur experiences in other jurisdiction is that it makes the patients more nervous, agitated and dangerous,鈥� Coniglio said.
鈥淥ur focus is on how to promote healing for patients with severe and complex mental health issues. It鈥檚 a hospital, not a jail.鈥�
Instead, nurses and other health care staff are trained in how to de-escalate violent situations.
In addition to mandated violence prevention training, staff are now being trained in a U.K.-style approach called 鈥渢herapeutic and relational security.鈥�
鈥淭hey鈥檙e starting to implement it in Ontario,鈥� Coniglio said.
鈥淚t is the next step in preventing and reducing violence in the environment.鈥�
When it all does go south, Coniglio said, hospital operate on a Code White system.
By pressing a button, nurses can call for help.
鈥淚t brings all of the appropriate people to help: colleagues and security folks,鈥� Coniglio said.
鈥淧eople come immediately to the scene鈥� from 30 seconds to one minute.鈥�
But Sorensen said that some violence happens almost every day.
鈥淎necdotally, nurses report to us that they鈥檙e sworn at during every shift,鈥� Sorenson said.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e pinched or pushed or shoved, which is all inappropriate, and that happens every shift.鈥�
Although neither the union nor the PHSA provided statistics, Coninglio said that assaults on nurses have decreased over the years.
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