New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi
Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) is concerned that some mental
health nurses are so worried about their safety, they are
asking Te Whatu Ora to look into the use of stab-proof vests
and personal alarms.
It follows the stabbing of a
nurse during an after-hours callout to the Rotorua suburb of
Ngongotahā by Te Whatu Ora Lakes’ acute mental health
response team on 28 December.
NZNO and the Public
Service Association (PSA) – which both have members who are
mental health workers – are calling for a full investigation
into the incident by Te Whatu Ora and WorkSafe, and for the
matter to be referred to the Health Quality Safety
Commission.
NZNO mental health nurse and delegate
Mitchell Mclaughlan said the stabbing was a random
event.
“However, violent incidents have become more
frequent in recent years. We are seeing escalating
aggressive behaviours in the community. More members of our
society are presenting as highly distressed due to their
social and financial situations, increased drug use along
with a swell in anti-social behaviours.”
Rotorua
mental health staff have requested a review of the incident
with Te Whatu Ora management, Mitchell Mclaughlan says. “We
want to discuss whether extra security measures such as
personal alarms or stab-proof vests should be worn from now
on by nurses and kaiāwhina working in mental
health.”
NZNO Mental Health Nurses Section
chair Helen Garrick called on Te Whatu Ora to report the
incident to the Health Quality Safety Commission and follow
all “learning from harm processes” necessary to determine
ways to enhance safety for all concerned including staff,
whānau and service users.
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“All aspects
of this incident must be reviewed. Stab-proof vests and
alarms may not have resulted in a different outcome and we
don’t want knee-jerk solutions. We also shouldn’t accept
that nurses have to deal with such a level of violence they
need stab-proof vests.
“However, I understand mental
health nurses are fearful and looking for solutions. They
need to be safe when they’re attending call outs. With the
Police proposing withdrawal from emergency mental health
call outs, nurses are being left increasingly vulnerable,”
Helen Garrick says.
PSA Health National Sector lead
Sue McCullough says the nurse, who is a PSA member,
underwent surgery, and has been discharged from hospital.
She is now recovering at home.
Sue McCullough says the
PSA is supporting the nurse, and their members, following
the very traumatic event.
“Health workers’ safety is
paramount as they deliver essential health care to all New
Zealanders. Devastating incidents like this highlight the
consequences of the Government’s relentless health budget
cuts. These funding cuts, along with short staffing, will
continue to endanger the entire health care system and all
New Zealanders’ health and wellbeing.
“Consultation
on health cuts continues. We ask those who care about the
health of New Zealanders and who care about our health care
workers to speak up. Incidents like this have lifelong
impacts and need to be prevented,” Sue McCullough
says.
For more on this story please see the NZNO
nursing magazine Kaitiaki:
https://kaitiaki.org.nz/article/community-mental-health-nurses-consider-stab-proof-vests-after-knife-attack/.
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