Union, KGH spar over assault
Patient arrested after hitting nurse in the arm at COVID-19 screening desk
A nurse said to have been assaulted at Kelowna General Hospital’s COVID-19 screening desk lacked the basic protection afforded grocery clerks, a union says.
No shield was in place to protect the nurse before a patient became irate and struck her in the arm, the BC Nurses Union claims. But Interior Health says the nurse had appropriate personal protective equipment and says security guards intervened immediately to defuse the situation.
The alleged assailant, a 37-year-old Vernon man, was held by hospital security guards until police arrived. He was arrested and could face charges, pending a decision by the BC
Crown Prosecution Service.
“Not only did this nurse experience a traumatizing incident that left her with physical injuries, she is also working through a pandemic, on the front lines, in a high risk area, without the appropriate infection control measures in place,” BCNU president Christine Sorensen said Thursday in a release.
The union says the nurse was working on the hospital’s COVID-19 screening desk when the incident occurred, about 2 p.m. on Wednesday.
Sorensen said the desk had not been equipped with a Plexiglass shield, a protective barrier she noted in the release is now common at many grocery stores given the COVID19 pandemic.
“This screening desk is the first point of access to the emergency department. It’s unacceptable to think Interior Health would not take all of the necessary precautions to protect nurses and health care workers,” Sorensen said.
In a statement given to The Daily Courier in response to the BC Nurses Union’s claims, Interior Health stated: “Keeping our healthcare staff safe at work in particular is a top priority and we are fully committed to continued focus on both physical and psychological safety in the workplace,” the statement read.
“There is a dedicated 24-hour security presence in the emergency department at Kelowna General Hospital. Additionally, as part of the pandemic response, staff members who interact directly with patients are all provided with appropriate personal protective equipment.
“At the time of the incident (Wednesday), the security officer was working directly with the staff and intervened immediately,” IH said.
Police say the nurse in question suffered “non-life-threatening injuries.” The suspect was arrested and the incident remains under investigation, RCMP Cpl. Jocelyn Noseworthy says. Kelowna General Hospital is one of a handful of hospitals in B.C. that provides 24/7 security in its emergency room.