Health board forced to reveal assault figures (on Psych Nurses)

Health board forced to reveal assault figures

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10749348
© 5:30 AM Sunday Sep 4, 2011 By David Fisher

Paddy.

I think it appalling that any DHB allows assaults on staff to be minimised in any respect and that included when only ‘serious’ assaults are reported and known about by senior mental health managers outside the unit (under report).

If senior mental health managers from separate MH services within the Auckland DHB don’t get the full picture on how things maybe in a particular situation, how can they in good conscience, allow for instance, patients they may have been responsible for in a clinical setting, being transferred to the MH unit in question?

Assaults often cause more than physical damage, I’m sure and in my opinion no assault should be tolerated, all patients who do assault staff need to receive some ‘negative’ consequences and if that means more Police and Courts involvement, then so be it.

Maybe this is a situation where all DHB’s etc have to adopt a Rule imposed on them; that being of Zero Tolerance of and for Assaults – by anybody, on anybody - patients, staff, or visitors.

Mandatory proper investigation should be an outcome of every assault allegation and I’d suggest that apart from anything else, an employer which doesn’t really want to know the real situation etc, is an employer failing to be a good employer. DHB’s could be quite vulnerable to multiple Employment Relations – related actions against them.

I’d be interested to know others views after reading the news article in the link
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10749348

Paddy.

I disagree.

Mental health patients who lash out need our compassion and assistance to get to a better place. They need to learn that such behaviour is unacceptable, but giving them more stress via courts and convictions is not going to help them, or make them any less likely to lash out. These people need help to manage the stresses in their lives, so that they can deal with such frustrations in more appropriate ways.

Why is it we have compassion for the mentally ill, but this compassion is suddenly lost when they behave inappropriately? Lashing out doesn't mean someone is a bad person. It means they are in a very bad place and are not coping.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/5558730/Waikato-Hospital-stamps-on-abuse

JK – mental illness in and of it self is no excuse for inflicting violence or the threat of violence on anyone.

As in any other sector of society here – if someone lashes out, they need to face the consequences. People need to know that physical violence is not an acceptable reaction to most ‘situations’ we get ourselves in.

No wonder this country can’t protect and save its babies and elderly and other vulnerables, if we believe its OK to lash out at someone when we’re a bit stressed.

Zero Tolerance of assaults should be The Gold Standard. Anything less is failing patients, medical staff and the greater community.

End of story I would have thought.

Paddy.

Rugby World Cup - win, lose or draw violence is not OK

http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release/29309.html

“…• Have realistic expectations. Everyone has a team they are supporting, but every game has to have winners and losers, so just enjoy the game and accept the outcome.
• Consider the children. Rugby and the World Cup should be a family occasion. Don't let children grow up remembering associating this major event in their lives with violence.
• Go easy on the alcohol. If you are drinking make sure you have equal amounts of water or non-alcoholic drinks.
• If an argument starts to brew or you feel your tensions rising, take a deep breath and walk away. Take time out to let everyone calm down and if necessary sober up.
• If you have real concerns for the safety of someone contact the police.

Useful links and numbers
Police emergency - 111
Women's Refuge - www.womensrefuge.org.nz (0800 REFUGE)
Victim Support - www.victimsupport.org.nz (0800 VICTIM)
Lifeline - www.lifeline.org.nz (0800 543 354)
Family Violence It's Not OK - www.areyouok.org.nz (0800 456 450)
HALT - www.facebook.com/HorowhenuaAbuseLiaisonTeam (06 366 0540) ...”

Paddy.

PS. The full Police Message can be read by clicking on the Link above.
I think the overwhelming evidence would be that physically 'Lashing Out’ isn’t an appropriate act, most times. If its not OK during the rugby, then its certainly not OK on the Wards etc either. At any time.

The DHB's do tend to have a zero tolerance policy. The shame is it tends to only be applied to medical and surgical areas, and not mental health. Waikato DHB's lovely spiel on the increased provision of security and the presence of a community constable are for the purpose of the high profile areas such as ED, and tend to be unavailable for MH.

Mental health is an area where staff and patients are at times exposed to aggressive behaviour that may or may not be related to mental illness. It pays to remember that not all of a person's behaviour is directly related to their experience of mental illness, and there are also people who will fake symptoms in order to receive the supports offered by the mental health inpatient units, or attempt to establish a scenario for court-related purposes. There are also family members and friends, persons who have negative intentions when trying to locate a person, abusive ex's etc etc etc.