Elsie Adamo
THE nursing union is calling for better security at Mount Gambier Hospital.
This week the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation South Australia Branch (ANMR SA) has said more needs to be done to ensure safety and security at the Mount Gambier Hospital.
The State Government has committed $8 million to upgrade the emergency department at Mount Gambier Hospital, but the security improvements expected in the upgrade will not come soon enough, according to the ANMR SA.
ANMR SA chief executive Associate Professor Elizabeth Dabars said members often contacted the federation with security concerns.
“They often share their frustrations and fears that stem from not having a safe work environment,” Assoc. Prof. Dabars said.
“Following this week’s announcement in Port Lincoln, I think the light now needs to be shone on Mount Gambier hospital and other major regional hospitals across the state that have not secured restraint-trained security guards as well.
“We will be speaking to hospital management and the Minister for Health and Wellbeing about what can be achieved to protect our members.”
Assoc. Prof. Dabars said the implementation of restraint-trained security guards can make a positive difference in hospital workplaces.
“A recent review of security at Whyalla and Port Augusta hospitals has found due to a multi-factorial approach of staff education, appropriate Code Black policies and the introduction of restrain- trained security guards, there has been a decrease in the number of violent incidents and psychological injury facing staff,” she said.
Assoc. Prof. Dabars said she did not have exact figures on security incidents at the hospital but claimed ‘Code Black’, an emergency hospital state relating to personal threats, was occurring almost every single day.
“Far too often, hospital staff are confronted by violent patients, and we are worried they will be seriously injured, either physically or mentally, while caring for others,” she said.
“While the ED does have one guard per shift, they are not restraint trained and have limited scope to intervene if an incident occurs.
“It is a dangerous work environment that wouldn’t be accepted in any other profession.
“We continue to encourage our members in the South East to share their concerns with their ANMF SA worksite representatives.“
A Limestone Coast Local Health Network (LCLHN) said security was a priority at the Mount Gambier Hospital.
“Our priority is to provide a safe workplace for all staff and we continue to identify ways to improve staff safety at Mount Gambier and Districts Health Service, in particular in the Emergency Department where challenging behaviours are most likely to occur,“ a LCLHN representative said.
“We have strategies to manage patient behaviours of concern, including increased training for staff and training for security firm staff, and we have recently positioned a security guard ED at all times.
“Our focus remains on continuous improvement of the service for our patients and staff.“
