Sharp rise in number of assaults on psychiatric nurses noted

A "total lack" of standard safety and security procedures in psychiatric units has been blamed for contributing to a recent rise in physical assaults on nursing staff.

Dr Seamus Cowman, professor and head of nursing at the Royal College of Surgeons, said there was an "alarming lack of clarity" on matters of procedures and policy pertaining to ward safety and security in hospitals. It was not surprising in this context that assaults as a percentage of total accidents and injuries to health care staff had increased from 8 per cent in 1994 to 17 per cent in 1999.

Presenting the findings of a study on the issue to the annual conference of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) of Ireland in Co Cavan yesterday, Dr Cowman said: "There must be a concerted effort to regularise policy and procedure and ensure standards. Psychiatric environments are far too volatile not to have adherence to safer practices.Only with such actions will we address some elements of the rising number of insurance claims against employers."

A separate independent survey showed there were 1662 assaults on psychiatric nurses in 2001. This was almost double the number estimated by the PNA.

Closing the two-day conference, the PNA's general secretary, Mr Des Kavanagh, urged members to resists cuts in the health budget, particularly in Dublin's Northern Area Health Board (NAHB) area.

Mr Kavanagh also expressed concern about the handling of allegations against nurses, which, in most cases, "are proven to be fabrications". In one instance an employer sent a letter outlining charges of abuse to the wrong address, causing damage and embarrassment. In another, allegations were levelled against a nurse who was out of the country at the time the abuse was supposed to have occurred.