No Changes; and The Violence Continues

After reading and re-reading articles by Chris Burrell of the Quincy, MA, Patriot Ledger chronicling Pembroke Hospital’s security breaches and assaults, I had difficulty grasping the entire scenario:

Documentation appears to support assertions of current and past safety failures: patients being in harm’s way; medical and other staff assaulted; and safety staffing and precautions being sorely deficient.

Yet no action has been taken – save the issuance of delayed hazard alerts.

Alerts to which Pembroke Hospital is not required to respond.

And staff continue to be attacked.

How and why is this possible?

More recently, the Ledger reported that over the March 4th weekend a nurse at this psych facility was assaulted by a patient, nearly tearing off an ear and almost gouging an eye.

I cannot fathom how or why this is happening.

As a nurse with more 30 years behind me, imagining that the general consensus is it’s okay to assault us is astonishing.

And worse: How do administrators regard the medical staff? Have we become so disposable that our well-being doesn’t matter?

Sheila Wilson R.N. BSN MPH
President
Stop Healthcare Violence
www.stophealthcareviolence.org

Dazed and Confused

My name is Jamie Ross, and Sheila Wilson of Stop Healthcare Violence has allowed me to script this guest blog entry.

Over the past months I’ve been fortunate enough to collaborate with Sheila on a major redesign of her website, stophealthcareviolence.org.

As I embarked on this recent website overhaul, immersing myself in copious data, I was struck (pardon the unintentional pun) by an alarming notion: the severity and frequency of assaults on healthworkers may, indeed, have reached rampant proportions.

Having worked with Sheila since the ’09 inception of Stop Healthcare Violence, I’d already understood healthcare assault to be a serious issue in vital need of scrutiny and repair.

Yet this recent venture made me perceive how critical it’s become.

A Visit to Psych Facility Pembroke Hospital

Follow up to Psychiatric Nurses are more than Angels 

Pembroke Hospital is a 120-bed psychiatric facility; a healthcare venue that assists people with mental illness, and a place that should be safe, understanding, compassionate and helpful to all who need to be there. 

Sadly, it appears that this is not the case. 

On the contrary, Pembroke Hospital has been cited for failed standards for patient safety, according to the Patriot Ledger of Quincy, Massachusetts.  The facility has received a Hazard Alert letter from OSHA that they have ignored for 5-6 months, which “flagged the number of workers injured by violent patients and called for improved staffing and safety measures," again according to the Patriot Ledger. 

Much is being said about the failures of this hospital, yet nothing is being done about it. 

If the medical staff doesn’t have the right tools to work with, what are they to do? In this 120-bed facility there is only one code cart. Why aren’t there code carts on each floor or section?

I recently had the opportunity to visit a patient at Pembroke Hospital. This is what transpired: 

What to do when no one answers an email or returns a phone call

I have a confession to make.

I am aggravated, frustrated, stymied… and even a little discouraged.

As some of you may know, I’ve been lobbying to pass House Bill #1164 for over a year - since January 2015.

This bill would strengthen the penalty for assault on healthcare workers by changing it from a simple misdemeanor to a felony charge; just as it already is in thirty-two other states.

I have met with Massachusetts representative Bruce Ayers and his legislative director Sean Costello on numerous occasions; spoken to Senator Will Brownsberger and his policy advisor Anne Johnson Landry; testified in front of the Massachusetts Judiciary Committee; and worked with my friends and colleagues in contacting their legislators to urge support for this bill.

So it’s not as if the Massachusetts Legislature isn’t aware of my tireless support for HB #1164.

It's not as if this bill has not been on the radar for 13+ months.

Yet my emails and telephone calls to them inquiring about the status, save one staffer who had no information, go unanswered with deafening silence.

Psychiatric Nurses are more than Angels

This weekend's edition of the Patriot Ledger posted an article on hospital staffing at Pembroke hospital.

The article described how OSHA had issued a hazard-alert letter to Pembroke Hospital, a for-profit, 120-bed psychiatric facility, in October 2015 after it conducted a surprise inspection FOUR MONTHS prior in May 2015.

According to the Patriot Ledger of Quincy, MA, the hazard-alert cited:

"Mental health associates are exposed to workplace violence hazards while working with acute patients…”

"almost all interviewed employees had been struck by a patient”

"Workers do not have any panic buttons … to call for immediate help. Sometimes patients attack from behind and on acute floors, the mirrors have been taken down for patient safety”.

Wait, did I read that correctly? That staffers in a high-risk environment are not even armed with panic buttons?

I wonder: would Pembroke Hospital administration indicate in any job description that as a worker one could expect to be assaulted?

State House to testify.for bil HB 1164

Well the day has come and gone. July 14,2015 1PM I was  at the State house to testify why I thought the Massachusetts law should be changed from a misdemeanor to a felony.
I had thought I would meet the team for Rep.Bruce Ayers there and maybe sit with me,( I laughed at myself ,because I remember how our patients in the ER would say I am meeting my Doctor in the ER)
I am new at all this politics, I feel there is a bill pending to help the nurses, healthcare workers and EMTS why isn't everyone excited about it? But maybe they are and they life doesn't allow for them to come into the State house.
After I emailed Sean Costello ,Rep Bruce Ayers team member ,he changed his schedule and we met in his office. He and Rep. Ayers had other meetings to attend to.So they couldn't go to the hearing.
I signed a paper to say I would speak and then Paula Murray R.N. also signed a paper to speak. I listened for 3.5 hours before my name was called to speak and Paula waited another hour. There was many bills being heard.
I was told if the bill didn't make it I might know in a week or two weeks or three weeks or more. But even if it didn't make it this round it isn't dead,   OMG clear as mud.
There are 32 states now that have a felony bill there is only 18 states left. So I think to myself  WHAT IS THE PROBLEM.WHY AM I HAVING SUCH A PROBLEM WITH SOMETHING TO ME MAKES SINCE.
I have many letters of support and I thank every organization that has written and every person that took time to write,email,or call their representative this isn't easy. To find the time in your day to call your representative isn't as easy as it sounds. So again a big thank you for everyone that has made that effort and if you know other people we could still need the support .
I haven't heard any news and today is 7-27-15.

Paula Murray telling her story about her assault!

I just want to say I watched the new program that is on TV called "Boston EMS" and I knew most of them. I am honored and feel privileged to have worked  with them when I was in the ER. Keep up the great work!!!!!!!!!!!

Challenges I have met in discussing BILL HB# 1164

Rep. Bruce Ayers introduced a bill and it is in the judiciary committee.
There doesn't seem a way to find out if there is a lot of votes. I think that would be interesting if I knew if I am working for something, no one wants.
I have met some challenges in trying to get people interested in this bill : Here are some examples on what I have been challenged with.

 example "but he is mentally ill, she\he really didn't mean to blacken your eye and knock out your front tooth, give him\her a break" Many people are said to be mentally ill and we as a nation should be grateful we have medication to help their illness. BUT if the same person  assaults a healthcare worker why shouldn't s/he get punished for it.  
 I am not writing about the person that is in crisis and psychotic. I am writing about the person that goes shopping, drives a car ,works etc. s/he knows right from wrong. That is a hugh difference. 

Another example I ran into is 'BUT HE WAS DRUNK" so now healthcare workers should not blame that person that just punched, spit and kicked a nurse because he drank to much? Lucky this person wasn't behind the wheel of a car and hit someone ,I wonder how that family would feel? I also feel if the person that is drunk hits a healthcare worker ,if s/he was at home would s/he abuse his family members? Maybe we should send out DCF to all the families ,just to check on them and make sure they aren't abused! Maybe we should think about any person that has been drinking and assaulting the healthcare workers ,maybe the next step could be a section # 35.

 Example: I am not going to support your bill because it is racist. Another way to get the black man or woman in trouble. "I don't think anyone should be abused but I am afraid the black person would get a heavier sentence than a white person."

This whole experience has widen my eyes. I feel that I am helping all healthcare workers and the EMT"S . BUT I also need to think about how others perceive this bill.
If people truly believe anyone that is diagnosed with a psych disorder should be able to do anything they want without any consequences.

The person that drinks to much and assaults healthcare workers and EMT's maybe s/he should also not be blamed and continue in their life style without consequences because like the psych. person he isn't thinking straight.

Now for the people that feel a black person would get a heavier sentence I am still perplexed on that. Could that really happen? What about the others that assault us? Would they get heavier sentences?

All of this is food for thought and makes me wonder why people feel it is acceptable for people to assault healthcare workers and EMT's with out any punishment.

I will leave this blog with a short story : I came into work and a nurse came over to me and told me how she was slapped in the face by one of the patients. She was  upset and I could see the red mark on her neck. I asked if she was seen by the MD and made out the incident reports. It was the end of the shift for her. When she was gone to finish up and give report to the next shift another nurse  grabbed my arm and said " I don't know why she is complaining about that slap ,she really wasn't hit that hard"!
Makes me wonder! The picture below was one of my co workers after a patient she had taken care of many times ,punch her in the face so hard ,she fell against some cabinets and injured her shoulder. This nurse was out of work for about 6 months and had to leave the job.