Male patient attacks two nurses

Two nurses on Ward 32 at the Port of Spain General Hospital have been attacked by a 23-year-old male patient.
President of the Registered Nurses Association Idi Stewart told Newsday the association condemns yet again another act of violence against the association’s mermbers, which is becoming a weekly scenario.

Stewart said last month at the San Fernando Hospital a nurse was almost raped in a similar incident. He said at around 11 pm on Sunday the patient entered the nurses’ station.
“One of the nurses managed to escape out of the station. However, the second nurse was trapped, which resulted in the patient (grabbing) hold of the nurse by her shoulder and threw her to the floor. The patient then proceeded to hold her down on the floor, attempting to raise up her clothes while trying to subdue her.

“The other nurse ran screaming for help from the other wards, as there were no security guards on duty that secure the wards.”
He said fortunately, another patient on the medical ward came to assist and began wrestling with the patient.
“With the diversion, the nurse managed to escape and ran to Accident and Emergency for treatment.
“The patient was eventually restrained by other staff and his father, who was actually allowed to stay on the ward to keep his son from becoming violent, as he had shown signs of violence since being on the ward.”

Stewart said the association is calling for the poorly trained, unmotivated, and absent private security firms to be removed from all public healthcare facilities, and be replaced by MTS guards or estate police, as the association no longer has faith in the firms.
He said after the incident Wendy Ali, CEO of the North West Regional Authority (NWRA), spoke with staff members and assured all their needs would be treated with.

When contacted, Ali said the NWRHA is awaiting a report, after which she would be in a better position to say what recommendations would be implemented.