It is a national disgrace that the men and women who care for us in our most vulnerable moments are themselves left exposed to danger—sometimes to the point of life-threatening violence. Barbados’ nurses, time and again, have raised the alarm about safety conditions.
The latest wave of concern came after yet another incident of violence last week when three nurses at QEH were attacked by a patient with a concealed weapon, part of a disturbing pattern that has escalated in severity. Nurses are no longer just dealing with burnout and understaffing, they are fearing for their lives.
These are not isolated cases, nor are they new concerns. In fact, the Barbados Nurses Association (BNA) has been consistently calling for urgent investment in nurse safety and well-being. They have appealed to the government and hospital administrators. They have spoken publicly and passionately in the media.
It is worth reflecting on the nature of their work. Nurses often serve as the first and last line of care in a patient’s health journey. They are the ones who hold the hands of the elderly, manage trauma in emergency rooms, provide comfort to the dying, and keep the health system moving when resources are scarce. And increasingly, they are asked to do so in conditions that are not just unsustainable but unsafe.
Violence against nurses, whether verbal, physical, or psychological, cannot be tolerated.
In June, the BNA warned that the stabbing of a nurse near the St Philip District Hospital was not a one-off event. They described it as part of a broader trend and demanded urgent government intervention. The association’s president made it clear: “Our nurses are not safe. And if our nurses are not safe, our healthcare system is not safe.”
This is not simply about personal security, although that should be reason enough. It’s also about protecting the integrity and functionality of the health system. Every time a nurse feels unsafe, the risk of burnout, absenteeism, or resignation grows. In a country already grappling with health workforce shortages, we cannot afford to lose more skilled professionals due to violence or fear.
After the most recent incident, we heard the usual response: promises to look into it, talks about reviewing protocols, vague assurances about future improvements. But what we didn’t hear is an immediate, coordinated, and transparent plan to protect nurses across the country.
We need real solutions now: increased security personnel at healthcare facilities, better lighting and surveillance around hospitals, emergency response protocols for home visits, mental health support for staff, and legal consequences for those who harm health workers. We also need the government to implement long-overdue legislation that recognises attacks on healthcare workers as serious criminal offences, sending a clear message that violence in any form will not be tolerated.
Our nurses cannot do their jobs while looking over their shoulders. They should not be afraid to walk to their cars after a night shift or visit a patient’s home. They deserve to work in environments that uphold their dignity and protect their lives.
The nation cannot continue to expect nurses to show up, patch us up, and lift us up while we ignore their calls for help.
It is time we answer them, not with words, but with action. Their safety is not negotiable.
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