Nurses Call for Personal Alarms After Attack by Patient
A doctor at B.C.'s Penticton Regional Hospital was "savagely assaulted" by a patient on Friday, according to RCMP and the B.C. Nurses' Union. The doctor and patient were alone for a routine interview when the incident happened. Staff on the floor of the hospital learned of the incident only when they spotted the patient walking unattended in the hallway. Staff reported that the doctor is "lucky to be alive" having been attacked by a psychiatric patient who had multiple martial arts fighting championships. The doctor is recovering in Kelowna Hospital with severe facial injuries, a broken jaw and other fractures, according to police. It is estimated that violent or potentially violent interactions with patients or clients, also known as "code white", happen as many as 10 times a day. Nurses, who interact with these type of violent patients on a more frequent basis than doctors, are calling for more security including personal alarms.Read below on how a personal safety monitoring system like SafetyLine can help in cases where potentially violent clients may exist:
Proactive notifications:
SafetyLine does not require a worker to signal for help manually. If you do get in trouble and can’t call for help, SafetyLine will sound an alarm once your timer expirers and let your co-workers and supervisors know you need help.
High-risk check-in timers:
If you feel like the situation you are entering may be more of a risk than you usual routine - for example visiting an unknown client or patient - you can customize your SafetyLine check-in timer for a high risk scenario, by shortening the check-in duration to under 15 minutes. If you don't check-in within this set interval, all of your emergency contacts set to receive your notifications will be contacted immediately. For example, if you were entering a room alone with a possibly violent client, and did not confirm you were ok within a minute, your coworkers and supervisors would be immediately notified of a possible emergency, and be sent your exact location, and any other details you have previously supplied, such as voicemails and work profile.
Panic emergency:
SafetyLine also has integration to manually signal for help with a panic button. When triggered, all of your emergency contacts will be notified of a confirmed emergency, and sent any voicemails you have previously recorded, details of your location, and your work profile.
Full device integration:
SafetyLine can be used on any device, such as smartphones, laptops, landlines, and pagers, that employees might already be carrying with them. Therefore, they do not need to carry any new or excess equipment with them at any time. Furthermore, learning how to use SafetyLine is fast and easy - and SafetyLine is always there for technical support or questions when you need us.All of these features are available 24 / 7 - perfect for anyone doing rotations late at night. Security and safety is necessary in professions where violent attacks may be a risk, such as health care. Using a work alone safety monitoring device such as SafetyLine can be invaluable in employee health and safety. For more information on how SafetyLine could integrate in your current system, contact us and we will be happy to help you look at options that fit your current scenario.