Hospital officials across central New York say they have had enough of an increase in violence against healthcare workers from patients and visitors. They’re banding together to launch a Respect and Heal campaign. This comes as a new disturbing reality has set in at hospital settings.
It’s happening at small hospitals, like Rome Health according to CEO AnneMarie Czyz.
"I've seen our precious healthcare workers be punched, slapped, kicked, bitten, sexually assaulted or attempts of that,” said Czyz.
And it’s happening at the area’s largest hospital, Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse.
"They're punched, they're kicked, they're spit on, they get blood in their eye, and we were seeing that was almost getting normalized,” said Upstate CEO Robert Corona.
Jeremy Donahue, an ER nurse at Oswego Health and a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, has been on the front line of this healthcare crisis. He was beaten by a patient to the point of a concussion and watched another patient rampaging through the ER destroying equipment and striking health care providers along the way.
"I did not anticipate being injured and assaulted more while working in the emergency department than I did on my deployments," said Donahue.
Leaders of nine hospitals have gotten together to launch a campaign requiring all visitors and patients to be respectful of staff, with zero tolerance of any threats, and full enforcement of the laws that protect staff. Onondaga District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick said going forward, he’ll review every case of violence against a healthcare worker.
"I will personally respond to you about every case,” said Fitzpatrick. “Now, being in the great state of New York, I can’t promise what the outcome of the case is going to be, but I can promise 100% effort from the Onondaga County DA’s office."
It’s rare for leaders of nine hospitals to gather like this. And they're sharing what they’re doing, creating an environment where employees come forward with complaints. Many are already adding security, including possible armed guards at St. Joseph's Hospital in Syracuse.
Darlene Stromstad, CEO of the Mohawk Valley Health System, said the new Wynn Hospital in Utica was designed with enhanced security because of this new normal.
“We have cameras all over our campuses,” said Stromstad. “We have security guards that are watching the cameras, but also security guards at the doors, all the doors that are going around the community and our campuses to keep people safe."
The hospital leaders are planning a cross-institution summit next year to continue sharing best practices for staff safety. Czyz said that will give all hospitals tools to deal with the violence.
"The focus will be on managing de-escalation and making sure that we're addressing and identifying difficult situations more readily and preparing our workforce and our institutions for that."
