Nurses and midwives have been kicked, punched, had their hair pulled and fingers fractured as well as being sprayed with a fire extinguisher during the course of their work, a trade union conference has heard.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has called for increased numbers of security guards and more CCTV in hospitals in response to the “increasing number of assaults and verbal abuse”.
The INMO on Thursday held the second day of its annual conference in Wexford, during which members talked about safety and security while working.
According to figures from the union, more than 11 nurses and midwives are assaulted every day. In the 12 months up to last February, it said there were 3,757 incidents of assault.
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Dublin-based nurse Ibuken Oyedele proposed a motion calling for increased security and support to ensure the safety of staff.
“Everyone has the right to work in an environment free from abuse. We are not paid to be assaulted,” she said.
“It should never be considered that assault is part of the job – it’s not. Any assault on us while trying to do our job is unacceptable.”
Ms Oyedele highlighted a particular risk to nurses who work in the areas of disability and older people.
“Some of them don’t have the cognitive awareness, so they bite, they kick. The families, at times, don’t always appreciate what we do. There are different types of abuse, there is disrespect and bullying,” she said.
Christopher Ibanga said he has been a nurse for 36 years and has worked in multiple countries. However, he said having been in Ireland for the past eight years, verbal abuse, in particular, is a significant problem.
Mr Ibanga, who is originally from Nigeria, said: “This abuse gets to a new level when the colour of your skin is a little bit different.”
“Nobody feels safe when you’re not sure what will happen. I had somebody who was screaming at me on the phone, I had somebody send me terrible text messages. These things happen every day,” he added.
A delegate from the Monaghan branch said there is no security in Monaghan hospital.
“Last year one of my colleagues was attacked. Her finger, ring finger was bent backwards and fractured. Another colleague was hit in the face,” she said.
INMO general secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said assaults and verbal abuse is now occurring in maternity and paediatric services, which she said was “an unwelcome change”.
She suggested it was a result of the general public “waiting longer for services” which causes “a huge amount of frustration”.
“Unfortunately, the person that you meet on any given day on the frontline is more than likely going to be a nurse.”
Speaking to reporters at the conference, Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said there’s “absolutely no reason to ever assault anybody, but in particular healthcare workers”.
“I think we have to be very, very careful about providing explanations or justifications of any kind for any assault. And I’m particularly troubled when I hear reports back – anecdotal or otherwise – any kind where I hear there’s any racial element to any of that as well,” she said.
“I recognise there are some [hospitals] that are much more overcrowded than we would want them to be. And we’re trying to increase capacity and we’re trying to change work practices to make that a better environment for everybody.”
