Proactive Heywood Hospital of Gardner MA Holds Press Conference Focused on Staff and Patient Safety
In the aftermath of an Emergency Room incident in which one of their ER nurses sustained a serious injury while caring for a patient, Heywood Hospital held a Press Conference on Monday, June 19, 2023 featuring CEO Rozanna Penney and ER Head Dr. Ellen Ray. Listen to the entire Press Conference on any device. CLICK PLAY.
A Spike in Violence
Heywood CEO Rozanna Penney stated that “This is a systemic problem, the problem that community hospitals cannot solve on our own. For years, the behavioral health system in Massachusetts and nationally has struggled with serious challenges relating to patient access and adequate reimbursement, and workforce vacancies. The long-term effects of COVID 19 pandemic and increased need for behavioral services continue to exacerbate these issues.” The CEO also stated that “reopening the mental health unit is a priority for our organization.” Citing statistics regarding violence she also said, “Every 38 minutes in a Massachusetts healthcare facility, a clinician or an employee is either threatened or assaulted, physically or verbally. A poll conducted by the American College of Emergency Physicians noted a 45 percent spike in violent incidents in the past 5 years.”
Working in the Trenches
Chief of Emergency Medicine Dr. Ellen Ray has seen it all, working at Heywood Hospital for over 3 decades as an ER physician, in the role of ER Director for 6 years. She spoke about the problem of violence, “And over the past few years, our emergency department has seen a significant increase in violence. Verbal abuse, threats, physical attacks, an increasing amount of weapons within our safe workplace. We see it each and every day. We work kind of in the trenches, as we call it. And basically on a daily basis we are exposed to physical threats and violence.” Dr. Ray related how the recent incident had an effect on the entire ER staff stating, “Our main concern is the safety of our staff, the safety of our patients, and the safety of our community.”
Zero Tolerance Policy Now in Effect
Dr. Ray stated, “We have instituted a new code of conduct policy to ensure our hospitals and locations are as safe as possible. To this end, violence, verbal, physical assault, physical threats will not be tolerated. Weapons of any kind will not be tolerated on our property. ….Offensive comments about race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or personal traits are not acceptable, and neither is the refusal to see a clinician. Based on these traits, all patients and visitors are expected to use respectful, appropriate language and behavior. Physical or verbal threats or assaults, suggestive or explicit words, phrases, gestures or actions will not be tolerated. “