The New Brunswick Nurses Union says changes in legislation are needed to further protect nurses from incidents of workplace violence.
This follows an alleged incident earlier this week where three nurses were allegedly assaulted by a patient. The union president says sadly this is not surprising.
“Nurses and other health care workers are probably more at risk than any other worker in the province for a violent episode,” said Marilyn Quinn.
Quinn says a national survey in 2005 showed one-third of nurses in New Brunswick reported a violent episode. In 2014, a survey of nursing home staff found that 50 per cent of nurses reported an incident of violence.
The nurses union and Horizon Health Authority have developed a Violence Prevention Program to improve care for patients and make it safer for health care workers.
Still the province hasn’t done enough, according to Quinn. She says the Occupational Health and Safety Act must be amended to recognize violence as a workplace hazard.
“That creates a positive obligation for every employer to identify: is there a risk for violence, and if there is what are we doing to prevent any injury to those workers in the workplace.”
Quinn meets with the minister of Advanced Education and Labour in October.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Victor Boudreau says he has no reason to believe mechanisms aren’t in place within regional health authorities to protect nurses.
“It’s certainly something that I’m prepared to raise with the RHAs, just to make sure that everything is being done to ensure that workplace safety is a priority,” said Boudreau.
Saint John Police haven’t said if charges will be laid in connection to the alleged incident this week.
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