I cannot believe how little regard our employers have for our safety getting to and from work – I refer to two staff members attacked when leaving Christchurch Hospital recently.
If it’s not attacks, then it’s car/cycle/scooter thefts as well as abuse from patients/visitors hanging about smoking just a metre or so from hospital grounds.
I am so weary of the constant battle, and my family should not be worried sick, lying awake at night until they hear my car come home safely at midnight, after pm shift. So I’m reluctantly taking steps to leave nursing, a profession I’ve been so proud of after over 30 years’ service.
On the left is a screenshot from a UK newspaper, and above is another one from the Waikato Times eight months ago. The last photo (below) shows how low the story rated in the news (second in the briefs column). Ten years ago these would have been shocking – now sadly they cause hardly a gasp from the public, and are then forgotten as the next news story rolls in.
There are so many more stories out there that are never reported in the media.
Many of my colleagues feel the same and say if they had the confidence to change profession, they would, but financially they daren’t risk it. They are in debt and haven’t had a holiday in years – ironically waiting for the holiday remediation settlement to perhaps have a short holiday with families. Now they are needing that money to pay/reduce debts accrued from the rising cost of living.
I am very fortunate not to be in this position — however I can assure you I am by far in the minority.
Name withheld by request