The nurses’ union has compared the working conditions of staff in the Royal Adelaide Hospital’s Emergency Department to a “war zone” following three violent incidents in less than a week.
Three hospital staff members were attacked by a mental health patient on Tuesday night, leaving them with significant injuries.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Nurse, doctor and security guard allegedly attacked at Adelaide hospital.
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The patient allegedly threw a printer and a metal drink bottle at staff.
A nurse who was allegedly attacked sustained a shoulder injury,while a doctor and security guard received facial injuries requiring a plastic surgery review.
It follows two earlier incidents involving mental health patients.
A nurse was allegedly hit around the head last week and a patient broke security doors over the weekend, leading to staff being locked in a tearoom.
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation SA branch secretary Elizabeth Dabars said staff and patients had been traumatised and needed counselling.
“What they’re enduring is absolutely horrific … It’s much like working in a war zone,” Dabars said.
A 23-year-old woman from Kensington has been charged with assault.
Dabars is calling for financial investment into community mental health care, so patients don’t end up in the ED, which she said was not a therapeutic environment.
Health Minister Chris Picton said on Wednesday, a security review would be conducted into the RAH’s Emergency Department.
He called the incident “completely unacceptable” during a press conference to discuss upgrades beginning at Modbury Hospital, which includes new mental health beds.
Construction of the project won’t be finished until December 2025.
About 100 duress alarms have been ordered for the ED after it was discovered there wasn’t enough, Dabars said.
“That is simply a Band-Aid measure for a bigger problem. This issue comes down to proper community mental health support, sufficient beds in the system and sufficient staff to actually manage or make sure people in those beds are cared for adequately and appropriately,” she said.
SafeWork slapped an intervention order on Royal Adelaide Hospital, directing it to improve workplace conditions it said were putting staff at risk of psychological and physical harm.
The hospital has been given until July 9 to improve workplace conditions or face a $250,000 fine.