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Nurses call for more protection | Nurses call for more protection |
(1 day later) | |
The Royal College of Nursing in Scotland is calling on the Scottish Executive to tackle the level of violence faced by community nurses. | The Royal College of Nursing in Scotland is calling on the Scottish Executive to tackle the level of violence faced by community nurses. |
The union has urged the SNP government to fulfil its manifesto commitment and improve legislation for staff working alone in the community as. | |
The call comes after a UK-wide survey found 33% of nurses had been assaulted or harassed in the last two years. | The call comes after a UK-wide survey found 33% of nurses had been assaulted or harassed in the last two years. |
The RCN said it was often patients' relatives who threatened nurses. | |
About 900 nurses took part in the survey, including 90 from Scotland. | About 900 nurses took part in the survey, including 90 from Scotland. |
RCN Scotland director, Theresa Fyffe, said a move by ministers to expand current legislation would send out an important message to community-based staff. | |
She added: "I hope the cabinet secretary for health and wellbeing can find some time early in the next parliamentary session to deliver on that commitment. | She added: "I hope the cabinet secretary for health and wellbeing can find some time early in the next parliamentary session to deliver on that commitment. |
We have had nurses who have been unable to return to community nursing and some have had to leave nursing altogether Anne ThomsonRCN Scotland | |
"Unfortunately it would seem that not all those who work alone are seeing the benefit of these guidelines being put into practice on the front-line. | "Unfortunately it would seem that not all those who work alone are seeing the benefit of these guidelines being put into practice on the front-line. |
"We have to have consistent policies in place for all lone workers regardless of where they work and what team they are in." | "We have to have consistent policies in place for all lone workers regardless of where they work and what team they are in." |
The survey found that 82% of respondents said their employer did have a lone worker policy, but 17% had not seen it. | The survey found that 82% of respondents said their employer did have a lone worker policy, but 17% had not seen it. |
It also found that 35% of the nurses who took part in the survey said they sometimes felt unsafe or at risk while working alone. | It also found that 35% of the nurses who took part in the survey said they sometimes felt unsafe or at risk while working alone. |
Nurses 'traumatised' | |
Anne Thomson, acting deputy director of RCN Scotland, told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "We have had many nurses phoning who have been very intimidated by relatives in the home, terrified to be honest. | |
"We are increasingly finding that it's relatives and friends who are in the home at the time." | |
She said that some staff had been "absolutely traumatised" by such treatment. | |
"We have had nurses who have been unable to return to community nursing and some have had to leave nursing altogether." |
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