Be alert and stay safe

In this issue of Emergency Nurse, we report on the latest NHS Protect figures on health service staff who have been assaulted.

This is not a pleasant topic on which to end 2015, but it is an important one. According to the statistics, the number of assaulted staff in England has topped 67,000. This represents a small reduction from the previous year, but there is no room for complacency, especially at a time of year when plenty of patients present for urgent care.

A significant number of these patients are likely to be violent, perhaps toward other service users but more likely toward service providers.

According to NHS Protect, the effect of such violence on individual staff includes a loss to the NHS of about £60 million a year, associated with absence and litigation costs.

RCN general secretary Janet Davies suggests that figures on assault can be a barometer for measuring staff morale. This is because people who have been assaulted may be physically debilitated and some take significant time to recover the physical strength and emotional confidence they need to return to work, especially if they must return to the same clinical role and location. These colleagues may experience post-traumatic stress disorder, and need time and patience to return to fully functioning roles.

My message to you this festive season is to be as aware as possible of your surroundings and the behaviour of those around you. Many of the people who assault staff misuse substances or have been involved in altercations, so try to anticipate mood changes. You should know your local policy on managing people who display aggression so that you can de-escalate outbursts calmly and firmly.

It is important not to be all doom and gloom over the winter months, and I trust that you will spend some time relaxing with your families and loved ones. But for everyone’s sake, be alert and stay safe.