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Safety first
“ We all must do better in protecting our health workforce .
RPA ’ s casualty entrance . Photo : John Grainger
New safety model to address violence after nurse attack .
By Eleanor Campbell
The Sydney Local Health District has agreed to spend $ 3 million to implement a new workplace safety model for hospital workers in response to a violent incident in 2019 which saw three nurses stabbed .
Following an investigation by Fair Work NSW , SLHD will oversee 24 / 7 specialised teams made available to state health staff and the development of a new graduate diploma in managing work-related violence and aggression .
The agreement was made in response to a violent incident at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Camperdown in May 2019 .
During the incident , an elderly patient was stabbed in the face and three nurses were seriously injured after a 29-year-old patient allegedly stole a pair of scissors .
Nearly one in two nurses and midwives in NSW have experienced violence in their workplace , according to a 2019 survey by the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association .
Verbal abuse , physical violence , sexual harassment and death threats have been flagged as the most common daily occurrences facing health workers on the job .
According to NSWNMA general secretary Shaye Candish , nurses and midwives continue to experience violence and aggression at significant rates across the state .
“ This multi-million dollar enforceable undertaking [...] is a step in the right direction , but this incident , and many others like it , do take a considerable toll on the nurses involved as well as their colleagues who are witnesses ,” she said .
“ The psychological injury to health professionals , who are simply trying to care for their patients safely , is profound .
“ We all must do better in protecting our health workforce .”
The last prosecution of a workplace violence incident in NSW was in 2007 , despite 2019 figures indicating 4,370 physical incidents involving state hospital health staff .
Nurses are disproportionately affected , with data showing nurses were impacted by 85.5 per cent of all incidents during the first half of 2019 .
The new SLHD initiative will oversee the employment of a program manager to oversee safe care for mentally ill and behaviourally disturbed patients .
According to SafeWork representative Valerie Griswold , the strategies will set a “ new health industry benchmark in workplace health and safety .”
“ As part of the agreement , the SLHD will develop and accredit a Graduate Diploma in the Assessment and Management of Acute Behavioural Disturbances to support staff to develop specialist skills in the management of work-related violence and aggression ,” she said .
“ The course will focus on increasing an understanding and awareness of factors of behavioural disturbances including mental illness , drug and alcohol abuse , dementia or delirium , and 25 scholarships will be available to clinicians from across the sector .” ■
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