Violence in hospitals gets out of hand

Violence seems a part of life for those working on the front lines of this country's health care system.

The impact of workplace violence on the health care industry is enormous, exacting a heavy financial toll, according to a 2006 survey by the Workers' Compensation Board of British Columbia.

Facts in figures concerning violence against health care workers:

Injury claims

Nine percent of all B.C. health care workers' accepted claims are due to violence.

More than half of the accepted B.C. claims for health care workers are from nurses aides and licensed practical nurses.

One in five of the accepted B.C. claims for healthcare workers, due to violence in the workplace, is from registered nurses.

$24-million was spent from 2002 to 2006 in workers compensation claims involving violence against health-care workers, including physicians, nurses, care aides, pharmacists, housekeeping staff, technicians and administration.

162,934 days were lost in 2006 due to accepted claims of violence against health care workers in B.C.

Fourteen B.C. health workers were injured every week in 2006, as recorded in accepted violence claims.

Most often hurt workers' body parts in attacks

Arms, including wrists, fingers and elbows: 27 percent

Backs and shoulders: 25 percent

Head, including neck, face, eyes, ears and scalp: 14 percent

Violence against nurses in Canada:

A national survey of nearly 19,000 nurses done by the Canadian Institute for Health Information, Health Canada and Statistics Canada in 2005 found the following:

29.6 Percent of nurses working in hospital said they were physically assaulted by a patient over the past 12 months

49.6 Percent of nurses who worked in a long-term care facility, such as a nursing home, said they were physically assaulted by a patient over the past 12 months

43.6 Percent of male nurses have faced physical assaults, be they in hospital, nursing homes, a community health centre or other health care settings

27.9 Percent of female nurses have faced physical assaults in the same settings

46.3 Percent of nurses working in a hospital said they were emotionally abused by a patient over the past 12 months

48 Percent of nurses working in long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes, said they were emotionally abused by a patient in the past 12 months

54.3 Percent of male nurses have reported suffering emotional abuse over the past 12 months, be it in a hospital, nursing home, a community health centre or other health-care related settings

43 Percent of female nurses have reported suffering emotional abuse in the same settings

46.7 Percent of nurses under 35 reported they have been emotionally abused by a patient in the past 12 months

38.2 Percent of nurses over 55 reported they have been emotionally abused by a patient in the past 12 months

Calgary Health Region huge deficit due to nearly 1 million hours overtime

The Calgary Health Region will post a sizable deficit this year as staffing shortages leave the medical authority with a massive bill for nearly one million hours in overtime, says the region's chief executive.

Despite earlier predictions of a balanced budget, Jack Davis, CEO of the Calgary Health Region, said the CHR will sink into the red in the '07-'08 fiscal year, due to a larger-than-expected pay hike for nurses and $63 million in overtime costs.

Davis would not reveal the anticipated size of the deficit facing the CHR, the body in charge of Calgary's health system including four hospitals. He said it will be larger than last year's $70-million shortfall, which required a government bailout.

"There's no question we'll have a deficit," Davis said in a year-end interview with the Herald.

"It's definitely going to be harder than last year."

The health authority has faced persistent problems finding enough nursing staff in recent years, which has forced local hospitals to close beds and cancel procedures.

Earlier this month, the Alberta Children's Hospital had to reschedule six surgeries in two weeks because there were not enough critical care nurses.

The CHR has faced ongoing financial pressures, largely because of Calgary's booming population and increasingly expensive medical technology.

The cash-strapped region has posted several deficits in recent years, including a $70-million shortfall last year and a $58-million deficit in 2004-05.

This year, shortages of nurses and other health workers have placed a new strain on the region's budget: overtime costs have climbed from $43.5 million last year to $63 million this year.

CHR is also picking up its share of the tab for a new contract the government signed with the province's registered nurses.

The deal, which makes Alberta's nurses the highest paid in Canada, came in higher than the CHR anticipated, leaving the region with a

$13-million unbudgeted expense.

In the past, when the CHR has run a deficit, the province has announced additional funding to help the health body remain in the black.

It is not yet clear if the government will offer the CHR additional funding to cover the deficit for the 2007-08 budget.

"Regions are required by legislation to balance their books," said Howard May, a spokesman for Alberta Health. "Those running deficits need to have a credible deficit elimination plan in place."

Laurie Blakeman, health critic for the Alberta Liberals, said the CHR could save money by hiring more nurses full time, rather than paying them time-and-a-half or double-time to work when they have a day off.

"It's penny wise and pound foolish, and we're paying the price for it," she said.

Davis said the region is already working to address the large number of part-time nurses at city hospitals and is discussing the issue with unions.

"In terms of part-time and full-time, we'll have to work with unions on something that works for everyone," said Davis.

The United Nurses of Alberta says this province has more part-time nursing jobs than any other Canadian jurisdiction.

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