Posted: October 26th, 2023

Australian Nurses Under Investigation Urge an End to Violence, Sanitiser, and Mask Theft

Australian Nurses Under Investigation Urge an End to Violence, Sanitiser, and Mask Theft

The COVID-19 pandemic has put enormous pressure on the healthcare system, especially on the frontline workers who risk their lives every day to care for the infected patients. However, some of these workers have faced not only physical and mental exhaustion, but also violence, abuse, and theft from the public and their own colleagues.

According to a recent report by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF), more than 40% of nurses and midwives have experienced physical or verbal assault in the past year, and more than 20% have had their personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks and sanitiser stolen or tampered with. These incidents have caused significant distress, fear, and anger among the nursing staff, who feel unsafe and unsupported in their workplaces.

The ANMF has called for urgent action from the government and the employers to protect the nurses and midwives from violence and theft, and to provide them with adequate PPE, training, and counselling. The ANMF has also urged the public to respect and appreciate the healthcare workers, who are doing their best to save lives and contain the pandemic.

Some of the nurses and midwives who have been victims of violence and theft have spoken out about their experiences and their demands for change. They have also asked for an end to the ongoing investigation by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), which has accused them of spreading misinformation about COVID-19 on social media. The nurses and midwives claim that they have only expressed their personal opinions and concerns, and that they have not violated any professional codes of conduct or ethics.

One of the nurses under investigation, who wished to remain anonymous, said that she was assaulted by a patient’s relative who accused her of giving him a false positive test result. She said that she was punched in the face and kicked in the stomach, leaving her with bruises and a broken tooth. She said that she reported the incident to her manager, but nothing was done to address it. She said that she felt betrayed by her employer, who did not stand up for her or offer her any support.

Another nurse under investigation, who also requested anonymity, said that she had her mask and sanitiser stolen from her locker by a colleague who resented her for speaking out against the mandatory vaccination policy. She said that she was allergic to some of the ingredients in the vaccine, and that she had a medical exemption from her doctor. She said that she was harassed and bullied by some of her co-workers, who called her names and spread rumours about her. She said that she felt isolated and depressed, and that she had no one to talk to.

Both nurses said that they were shocked and outraged when they received a letter from AHPRA informing them that they were being investigated for posting anti-vaccination comments on Facebook. They said that they had only shared their personal views and experiences, and that they had not intended to mislead or harm anyone. They said that they respected the right of others to choose whether or not to get vaccinated, and that they expected the same respect in return. They said that they felt persecuted and silenced by AHPRA, which was supposed to protect them as health professionals.

The nurses said that they wanted AHPRA to drop the investigation and apologise to them for the stress and anxiety it had caused them. They said that they also wanted the government and the employers to take action to prevent violence and theft against nurses and midwives, and to provide them with adequate PPE, training, and counselling. They said that they hoped that the public would recognise and appreciate their work, and treat them with kindness and respect.

They said that they loved their profession, but that they were tired of being abused and ignored. They said that they deserved better.

References:

ANMF (2021). ANMF National Survey on COVID-19: Final Report. Retrieved from https://anmf.org.au/documents/reports/ANMF_National_COVID-19_Survey_Report.pdf

AHPRA (2020). Social media: How to meet your obligations under the National Law. Retrieved from https://www.ahpra.gov.au/News/COVID-19/Social-media-How-to-meet-your-obligations-under-the-National-Law.aspx

Smith, K. (2021). Nurses fear violence at work as union reveals shocking abuse statistics amid COVID-19 pandemic. ABC News. Retrieved from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-12/nurses-fear-violence-at-work-amid-covid-pandemic/100131246

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