Doctor or nurse assaulted every second day at Galway hospitals

An assault of a nurse or doctor takes places every second day at Galway city’s two public hospitals.

The abuse, both physical and verbal, is perpetrated by patients on healthcare professionals at University Hospital Galway and Merlin Park.

In some cases, the assaults are related to patients’ clinical condition; in other cases, the assaults are perpetrated by patients under the influence of drink or drugs. Sometimes it is patients’ relatives who are abusing staff.

Figures obtained by the Connacht Tribune through Freedom of Information (FOI) reveal that there were 181 incidents of physical and verbal assaults on nurses and other healthcare professionals during the course of their work last year at the two city hospitals.

That was the number of official complaints reported to management by staff who were assaulted but some more incidents go unreported.

Nurses and other frontline healthcare professionals take the brunt of the abuse.

Chair of the Galway branch of Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), Mary Leahy, said she was not surprised by the figures.

“People are becoming so desensitised. What was once seen as abnormal is now becoming the norm. Assaults are definitely becoming far more prevalent. It’s not just here but internationally as well it’s proven that when there are staff shortages and cutbacks of services, there is an increase in assaults,” said Ms Leahy.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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