Nurse attacked by patient
Hello,
Looking for advice.
I was attacked at work by a patient in the ward I work in, who was under the mental health act at the time of the incident. It was an unprovoked attacked, and she has a history of multiple assaults against nurses. I am currently under workers compensation, working out with the ward at this time. My confidence as a nurse has been shattered, and I am more anxious than I have ever been. I was started on medication, for the first time in my life, to try to help with this. But I have genuine fear to return to the ward because it is so unsafe. There have been so many assaults in recent months. But it's not so easy to just leave due to restrictions around location and job availability. There is lots of reasons to wish to stay where I am (a small town). I rely on accommodation from my employer, and I don't want 'throw the towel in' as I do hope that things will change.
I have however, been informed that I should look at taking it further. I have sought legal advice, and I'm still really undecided what to do as I have no had to navigate this kind of thing before. Legal advice state that I have two options;
- Settlement claim through workers compensation, but there is a chance I will need to accept voluntary redundancy
- Employer negligence through criminal law. It will not be difficult to prove that there have been failures from the company to keep staff safe.
Money will not change how I feel, but I am suffering because of what I have been through and I feel that taking it further may force change to happen. The level of violence and aggression towards nursing there is unlike anything I have experienced before and I, and many of my colleagues have been really unsupported and left to accept this is just how it is here.
I don't know what to do - if anyone else has been through this, or can give advice it is very much appreciated.