Violence Against Healthcare Workers: A Canadian Experience
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- Published on Tuesday, 08 November 2016 05:45
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A Socialist Project e-bulletin .... No. 1327 .... November 8, 2016
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Violence Against Healthcare Workers: A Canadian Experience
James T. Brophy, Margaret M. Keith, Michael Hurley
According to healthcare workers interviewed this past year by the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU)/Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the health and wellbeing of the individuals devoted to caring for our health seems to be increasingly at risk from angry, frustrated, or out of control patients. Their experiences are chilling.
"Very quickly, the patient bolted to his feet with his hand and arm cocked, ran across the room and hit me in the nose and under the eye. I immediately fell backwards. I started to bleed, profusely, from my nose. I couldn't breathe. I started to panic."
A Chronic and Widespread Problem
Every one of... the 150 registered practical nurses (RPNs) from across Ontario attending a conference on violence in Kingston in January, 2016, reported that they have been assaulted at work. A survey of paramedics in Ontario and Nova Scotia found that 75% had experienced violence in the previous year. 67% were verbally assaulted. 26% had been subjected to physical assault. Studies of nurses and personal support workers find disturbing rates of violence. Fewer studies have explored violence experienced by workers in other healthcare occupations -- but clearly anyone who is dealing with patients and other members of the public are at risk.