Nurses who are fearful of the violence in communities have been taking greater precautions carrying out their outreach activities.
However, senior health sister at Randall Phillips Polyclinic, Fay Denny, is still hopeful that there will be a significant reduction in violent incidents and that nursing professionals will receive more respect.
“Although there were gangs before, there was always respect for the nurse when they came into the community, but that is kind of dwindling. We know what is happening in our communities. We work in the community, we have to go into homes, districts, villages, even on the blocks. So there is that general fear of what to do and to give the care that we need to give,” Denny said.
She made those comments to reporters recently at Golden Square Freedom Park, The City
during a Public Health Nurses Week outreach.
Last week, three nurses were cut with varying degrees of severity by a female patient at the
Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH).
Communications specialist at the QEH, Shane Sealy, confirmed the incident and said the injuries were not life-threatening, but have left those involved shaken.
Chief executive officer Neil Clark said they took the matter seriously and that the safety and well-being of staff, patients and visitors is a priority. He said the hospital would use that incident to reflect on and further refine existing safety procedures.
In June, a nurse was attacked at a bus stop after completing her shift at the St Philip District Hospital. In a statement, the Barbados Nurses Association warned that “security breaches have become a recurring threat at multiple facilities” and called for action on issues confronting the profession.
Meanwhile, Denny said that, due to these types of incidents, the nurses have been taking additional steps to protect themselves.
“The BNA started some self-defence classes, and all of that helps to boost their confidence when going out in the district. Before, nurses would go by themselves, but now we go with buddies. That cuts down on the number of people we can see if two nurses have to go to one place,” she said.
During the outreach activity recently, nurses and other officials from the nine polyclinics were represented.
They carried out blood tests, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening, and chronic disease screening. Additionally, blood sugar and blood pressure checks were available, as well as vaccinations.
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