Stab-proof Vests For Mental Health Nurses?

New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) is concerned that some mental health nurses are so worried about their safety, they are asking Te Whatu Ora to look into the use of stab-proof vests and personal alarms.

It follows the stabbing of a nurse during an after-hours callout to the Rotorua suburb of Ngongotahā by Te Whatu Ora Lakes’ acute mental health response team on 28 December.

NZNO and the Public Service Association (PSA) - which both have members who are mental health workers - are calling for a full investigation into the incident by Te Whatu Ora and WorkSafe, and for the matter to be referred to the Health Quality Safety Commission.

NZNO mental health nurse and delegate Mitchell Mclaughlan said the stabbing was a random event.

"However, violent incidents have become more frequent in recent years. We are seeing escalating aggressive behaviours in the community. More members of our society are presenting as highly distressed due to their social and financial situations, increased drug use along with a swell in anti-social behaviours."

Rotorua mental health staff have requested a review of the incident with Te Whatu Ora management, Mitchell Mclaughlan says. "We want to discuss whether extra security measures such as personal alarms or stab-proof vests should be worn from now on by nurses and kaiāwhina working in mental health."

NZNO Mental Health Nurses Section chair Helen Garrick called on Te Whatu Ora to report the incident to the Health Quality Safety Commission and follow all "learning from harm processes" necessary to determine ways to enhance safety for all concerned including staff, whānau and service users.

"All aspects of this incident must be reviewed. Stab-proof vests and alarms may not have resulted in a different outcome and we don’t want knee-jerk solutions. We also shouldn’t accept that nurses have to deal with such a level of violence they need stab-proof vests.

"However, I understand mental health nurses are fearful and looking for solutions. They need to be safe when they’re attending call outs. With the Police proposing withdrawal from emergency mental health call outs, nurses are being left increasingly vulnerable," Helen Garrick says.

PSA Health National Sector lead Sue McCullough says the nurse, who is a PSA member, underwent surgery, and has been discharged from hospital. She is now recovering at home.

Sue McCullough says the PSA is supporting the nurse, and their members, following the very traumatic event.

"Health workers’ safety is paramount as they deliver essential health care to all New Zealanders. Devastating incidents like this highlight the consequences of the Government’s relentless health budget cuts. These funding cuts, along with short staffing, will continue to endanger the entire health care system and all New Zealanders’ health and wellbeing.

"Consultation on health cuts continues. We ask those who care about the health of New Zealanders and who care about our health care workers to speak up. Incidents like this have lifelong impacts and need to be prevented," Sue McCullough says.

For more on this story please see the NZNO nursing magazine Kaitiaki: https://kaitiaki.org.nz/article/community-mental-health-nurses-consider-stab-proof-vests-after-knife-attack/.

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