Barbados Nurses Association Condemns Violent Incident at St. Philip Polyclinic: Calls for Government Measures to Ensure Safety of Healthcare Workers

The Barbados Nurses Association (BNA) has strongly condemned a recent incident at the St. Philip Polyclinic where a patient threatened a nurse with a knife.

In a strong statement issued Friday, BNA President Fay Parris said: “This is unacceptable and intolerable and puts the lives and safety of our patients, nurses, doctors and other health professionals at risk.”

She lamented that such violent incidents have been happening too often with “no structured response or support for the nurses, or policies to prevent and follow after an incident occurs.”

Parris appealed to the Government to take immediate and effective measures to prevent such incidents from happening again and to ensure a safe and secure working environment for frontline workers.

“The BNA calls for installing metal detectors at all polyclinics and health facilities, as well as increased security personnel and surveillance cameras. We also urge the Government to provide adequate mental health support and counselling for our nurses and health professionals who have been traumatised by this or any other violent incident,” she said.

“Furthermore, we request that the Government enact and enforce strict policies and penalties against any form of violence or aggression towards our nurses and health professionals who are already under tremendous stress and pressure due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant shortages of nurses and doctors.”

The BNA declared that it stood in solidarity with the nurse who was threatened and with all our nurses and health professionals who work tirelessly and selflessly to provide quality care to the public.

It also expressed its support for the nurses’ call to access counselling today with no obligations to work as they seek time to heal.

(Read the full story in Friday’s Epaper)