The healthcare staff at the Helmond Elkerliek hospital did nothing for two minutes on Thursday afternoon. In protest against the increased aggression that healthcare workers have to deal with. The immediate cause was the death of a mental health worker in Heerlen who was stabbed by a patient while at work last month. Healthcare staff across the country stopped working at two o’clock. Professional organization NU’91 for healthcare personnel came up with this campaign and expected tens of thousands of employees to participate.
Anyone who visited the Helmond hospital at two o’clock on Thursday afternoon could see how dozens of staff members gathered in the central hall and were silent for a moment. After the protest, in which thoughts also went to the stabbed mental health worker and her relatives, the white coats and trousers went back to work. Along the way they shared some of their own experiences with violence.
Painful
For example, nurse Senna Fischer said that she has seen and experienced aggression more often in her department. “Even fighting, but that is exceptional. There is mainly swearing and threatening. That is so painful, because we care for our patients here with so much love.” Her colleague Hella Tulp, who is the point of contact for various departments within the hospital, confirms that reports of aggression are increasingly common. “We once had to go to the emergency room with a colleague after a physical attack. Much more often it involves swearing. Threatening with ‘I know where you live’ is also very nasty and happens.” In addition to the hospital staff at Elkerliek, other organizations also participated in the protest, such as home care and institutions for the disabled and of course mental health care.
A spokesperson for NU’91 said that all kinds of reports of aggression against healthcare workers have again been received in recent days. “This must now be addressed in concrete terms quickly.” NU’91 is already seeing ‘movement’ among employers and in politics. Employers united in the Dutch Mental Health Sector Association also support the protest. At X, Minister of Health Conny Helder supported the protest of healthcare workers.
Tags: Fatal stabbing temporarily shuts Elkerliek hospital protest
