BROCKVILLE
— The Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) is disgusted at a court decision
released today that found the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre guilty of only
one of five charges in a case where a registered nurse was stabbed multiple
times.
The
employer was found guilty of failing to reassess for the risk of violence at
its Brockville site under the Occupational
Health and Safety Act.
“We’re
shocked the employer was not convicted on charges of failing to take sufficient
precautions and implement measures and procedures in a case where one of our
members was so seriously injured,” said ONA First Vice-President Vicki McKenna,
RN.
The
case stems from an incident in 2014 in which a registered nurse was stabbed
numerous times in the head and neck by a patient. Since the incident, ONA has successfully
appealed the non-issuance of orders written by the Ministry of Labour and
successfully fought an attempt by the hospital to quash orders to take measures
to keep forensic unit nursing staff safe.
“ONA is
unrelenting in its efforts to push employers and government to eliminate
violence in our workplaces, to protect nurses and the patients we care for,” says
McKenna. “The employer has spent significant taxpayer dollars fighting against
registered nurses who are continually at risk of violence.”
Workplace
violence has been increasing in Ontario’s health-care sector, and ONA officials
have been appalled at the lack of effort on the part of health-care employers
to take action to keep their front-line caregivers safe on the job. At the
Brockville site, several serious violent incidents have occurred in the same
forensics unit where the RN stabbing took place.
“Until government
and courts begin to hold senior health-care facility officials accountable, we
will continue to see workplace violence escalate. This is an issue that must be
taken seriously. Nurses should not have to fear for their lives while providing
the care our patients need and deserve.”
ONA is the union
representing 64,000 registered nurses and allied health professionals, as well
as almost 16,000 nursing student affiliates, providing care in hospitals,
long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry.
