By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
NURSES are hopeful that their threatened walk-out from Dandenong Hospital emergency department nurses may be averted after talks with Monash Health this morning.
Australian Nursing Federation state assistant secretary Paul Gilbert said tomorrow’s strike action would be called off if Monash Health ‘‘confirmed in writing’’ improved security measures discussed this morning.
‘‘We put three things to them and if what they confirm in writing what was spoken about in the meeting, the stop-work will not proceed.’’
A Monash Health spokeswoman said managers were ‘‘progressively implementing’’ recommendations from a 2011 state inquiry into violence against nurses.
She said Dandenong Hospital was ‘‘in the process of working with staff’’ to introduce a Code Grey protocol — dealing with violent, unarmed people — by mid-year.
‘‘Dandenong Hospital is committed to a compressive approach to security with the implementation of even more CCTV and security personnel.
‘‘Monash Health looks forward to working with staff and stakeholders to ensure an even safer workplace environment is achieved.’’
As reported by the Journal yesterday afternoon, Australian Nursing Federation issued an ultimatum to Monash Health that nurses would strike if Monash Health did not agree to bolster security in the department by noon Thursday.
Australian Nursing Federation members yesterday demanded increased security, including for two dedicated security guards 24 hours a day at the emergency department and for clear protocols for dealing with unarmed and armed aggression against nurses.
It comes after a series of violent incidents at the emergency department including its waiting area being evacuated when a man threw concrete through the windows on Sunday. In recent months, a nurse was demoted for tackling an aggressive intruder, a nurse had part of her breast bitten off and another was threatened by a knife.
Mr Gilbert said a pair of guards currently patrolled the entire hospital.
‘‘They move around doing their rounds or go together if there’s an issue in any of the wards. So at any one time there are either two or none at the emergency department.’’
Nurses demanded the ‘‘immediate start’’ of at least two specifically-trained security guards in the emergency department, two for the Clayton campus’s acute mental health unit and two other guards for the rest of Dandenong Hospital.
“Nurses are saying enough is enough,’’ Mr Gilbert said.
“If Monash Health is unable to agree to these measures by midday on Thursday then the elected health and safety reps, in consultation with the ANF, will issue a direction to cease work in the emergency department because of the imminent threat to health and safety.”
He said 12 recommendations from a 2011 state inquiry into emergency department safety had not been implemented at the hospital.
At the inquiry, a Dandenong Hospital emergency nurse submitted that her and colleagues were bitten, punched, slapped and had objects thrown at them by patients: “They pull their IVs out and throw bloodstained cannulas, sharps — any kind of weapon they can get their hands on, such as chairs — at the nursing staff.”
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