Criminal Assault due to "criminal neglect"?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

The place where I work is instituting a new parking policy.

To get to the lot where we are to park, we have to exit the rear of the hospital, go past a row of big dumpsters, past a lot full of vans and fleet vehicles, cross a main down-town street, enter a huge and poorly lit lot that is about a quarter of a mile down the street from Suzi's XXX Adult Video Superstore. We know the lot is not safe because cars that are parked there are frequently broken into.

During the meeting at which the new policy was introduced, nurses asked about safety. Here is what the "safety" officer told us.

1) Yes, cars are broken into. No, we can't do anything about it. 20,000 car break-ins occur each year in our city. The police cruise the lot when they can. It's your responsibility to keep back-packs, purses, GPS units, etc. out of sight.

2) No, we cannot light the lot any brighter than it currently is because that would cost too much money.

3) No, we cannot have the lot on camera in real-time but only the scanning system we have now that is not continuously monitored. To do better monitoring would cost too much money.

4) No, we won't have a shuttle to take you to and from your cars except in very bad weather. To provide shuttles would cost too much money.

5) Yes! We will provide you an escort to your car. However, after hours we have only 5-6 officers for the whole 800 bed campus so you will have to wait. And while you're waiting, make sure you're clocked out.

In addition, there was a nurse who outran an attacker within the last month. Also, we're the major trauma center and have all the gang-bangers in our ER. We have no guards in the ER. We have no metal detectors. (It would cost too much money.) We had a deranged man shoot himself in the parking lot on the other side of the hospital last year.

I tried to do some quick research on attempted assaults on nurses, but only found articles related to work-place violence, a related concept, but not what I was looking for. It is my suspicion that it is not uncommon for nurses to be attacked going to and from hospitals at shift change but that it is not reported as such. For the police, it's an assault and would be recorded that way. For the hospital, there is every reason to sweep such incidents under the rug.

Does anyone have any anecdotal stories relative to assaults on nurses or know of any research on the topic? I am thinking about contacting our police and getting crime statistics for our area of the city, if they will give them to me.

Any other ideas out there?

Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

Tell them since they can't provide adequate safety, be prepared to speak to your lawyer if something were to happen.

Oh, and wouldn't it look great on the 6 p.m. news that someone who helps the public (YOU) was taken away from your children (assuming you have them) because your "safety" officers were too cheap.

Do you have to work for these people? They care nothing for you, your mental or physical health or safety.

Specializes in med-surg, psych, ER, school nurse-CRNP.

Park where you feel safe, have them take it up with your lawyer if they fuss. Is your car identifiable as a hospital employee car? If not, then you're good. If so, they'll get over it. Or, as has been said before, they care peanuts for their staff, so pooey on them!

Specializes in OB/GYN, Peds, School Nurse, DD.

I believe I'd be finding another place to work. This is a disaster waiting to happen.

Park where you feel safe, have them take it up with your lawyer if they fuss. Is your car identifiable as a hospital employee car? If not, then you're good. If so, they'll get over it. Or, as has been said before, they care peanuts for their staff, so pooey on them!

That's what I would do too. Park where you feel safe. If they complain give them the card of an attorney to call. They won't. You don't want to get hurt and end up in your own ER. Unless they were willing to provide me with a ride to my car or confirm they would walk me to it 100% of the time I would keep right on parking where you do now.

The other option is to find a new job. This place really doesn't give a crap about all of you. Where is the CEO, upper management, etc. parking? I bet not far away in an unsafe area.

people of all occupations get assualted all the time to and from work, nurses are nothing special (no need for special nurse stats).

it's all about $$$ to your employer, nurses and other hospital staff are expendable.

bet you won't see the hospital executives parking where you're told to, ha.

Specializes in EMT-P.

I suspect the threat of a lawyer would be about as effective as a flatulence in a hurricane. Before you go off half cocked and park where you please and possibly find your car in a nearby impound lot, I would make some inquiries with OSHA. Although there is no specific regulation concerning workplace violence, there are a few umbrella guidelines which may force your employer to act upon if current work environment is in non-compliance.

See Section 5(a)(1). If it is really bad you can file a complaint to OSHA - Complaints.

In the mean time while your paper trail will take time to be seen and acted upon, there are some things I would suggest that you do. Make arrangement with co-workers who's shifts ends when yours does to go to your cars together, a buddy system if you will. Safety in numbers. Also might want to consider a can of pepper spray or maybe one of those really loud personal alarm systems.

Good luck and stay safe.

When you do become the victim of workplace violence, I can vouch that you will find out how fast your employer takes steps to get rid of you. You will never see that degree of efficiency from them again.

Specializes in Flight, ER, Transport, ICU/Critical Care.
the place where i work is instituting a new parking policy.

to get to the lot where we are to park, we have to exit the rear of the hospital, go past a row of big dumpsters, past a lot full of vans and fleet vehicles, cross a main down-town street, enter a huge and poorly lit lot that is about a quarter of a mile down the street from suzi's xxx adult video superstore. we know the lot is not safe because cars that are parked there are frequently broken into.

during the meeting at which the new policy was introduced, nurses asked about safety. here is what the "safety" officer told us.

1) yes, cars are broken into. no, we can't do anything about it. 20,000 car break-ins occur each year in our city. the police cruise the lot when they can. it's your responsibility to keep back-packs, purses, gps units, etc. out of sight.

2) no, we cannot light the lot any brighter than it currently is because that would cost too much money.

3) no, we cannot have the lot on camera in real-time but only the scanning system we have now that is not continuously monitored. to do better monitoring would cost too much money.

4) no, we won't have a shuttle to take you to and from your cars except in very bad weather. to provide shuttles would cost too much money.

5) yes! we will provide you an escort to your car. however, after hours we have only 5-6 officers for the whole 800 bed campus so you will have to wait. and while you're waiting, make sure you're clocked out. that pesky money thing again! :eek:

in addition, there was a nurse who outran an attacker within the last month. also, we're the major trauma center and have all the gang-bangers in our er. we have no guards in the er. we have no metal detectors. (it would cost too much money.) we had a deranged man shoot himself in the parking lot on the other side of the hospital last year.

i tried to do some quick research on attempted assaults on nurses, but only found articles related to work-place violence, a related concept, but not what i was looking for. it is my suspicion that it is not uncommon for nurses to be attacked going to and from hospitals at shift change but that it is not reported as such. for the police, it's an assault and would be recorded that way. for the hospital, there is every reason to sweep such incidents under the rug. money! money! money!

does anyone have any anecdotal stories relative to assaults on nurses or know of any research on the topic? i am thinking about contacting our police and getting crime statistics for our area of the city, if they will give them to me.

any other ideas out there?

wow - i sense a theme. i am sorry that you and your co-workers are put at such risk.

the big savings will be cancelled by the litigation that will certainly occur after the fact. a jury will hand 'em their ass, but sadly it will come after someone loses something - life, health!

i like the osha option - and they do bite from time to time. under a democratic prez the agency is a bit more deliberate on the side of the worker now.

personal safety is your responsibility and unfortunately your employer has assigned it no value - actually that is wrong, they have already put a value on it - and it is less that the necessary safe environment would cost.

good luck and i really mean this -

stay safe!

Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
The place where I work is instituting a new parking policy.

To get to the lot where we are to park, we have to exit the rear of the hospital, go past a row of big dumpsters, past a lot full of vans and fleet vehicles, cross a main down-town street, enter a huge and poorly lit lot that is about a quarter of a mile down the street from Suzi's XXX Adult Video Superstore. We know the lot is not safe because cars that are parked there are frequently broken into.

During the meeting at which the new policy was introduced, nurses asked about safety. Here is what the "safety" officer told us.

1) Yes, cars are broken into. No, we can't do anything about it. 20,000 car break-ins occur each year in our city. The police cruise the lot when they can. It's your responsibility to keep back-packs, purses, GPS units, etc. out of sight.

2) No, we cannot light the lot any brighter than it currently is because that would cost too much money.

3) No, we cannot have the lot on camera in real-time but only the scanning system we have now that is not continuously monitored. To do better monitoring would cost too much money.

4) No, we won't have a shuttle to take you to and from your cars except in very bad weather. To provide shuttles would cost too much money.

5) Yes! We will provide you an escort to your car. However, after hours we have only 5-6 officers for the whole 800 bed campus so you will have to wait. And while you're waiting, make sure you're clocked out.

In addition, there was a nurse who outran an attacker within the last month. Also, we're the major trauma center and have all the gang-bangers in our ER. We have no guards in the ER. We have no metal detectors. (It would cost too much money.) We had a deranged man shoot himself in the parking lot on the other side of the hospital last year.

I tried to do some quick research on attempted assaults on nurses, but only found articles related to work-place violence, a related concept, but not what I was looking for. It is my suspicion that it is not uncommon for nurses to be attacked going to and from hospitals at shift change but that it is not reported as such. For the police, it's an assault and would be recorded that way. For the hospital, there is every reason to sweep such incidents under the rug.

Does anyone have any anecdotal stories relative to assaults on nurses or know of any research on the topic? I am thinking about contacting our police and getting crime statistics for our area of the city, if they will give them to me.

Any other ideas out there?

Sounds like you need to get some management on your side, esp. female. This is outrageous. Obvious they REALLY CARE about their staff!

Are you guys Union? I think that lighting the lot, and having more officers to escort the staff is a resonable expectation. I think when the staff makes a mass exodus to work elsewhere, they will get the point. Obviously this is not a safe place to work as a whole, for your own safety you should look into finding a better environment. I would say alert the media to put pressure on the administration, but well, that could backfire when teh creepies find out where to get you. So I think a new job is in order. No job is worth your life or safety. You know what can and will happen (just a matter of time) and it is not worth the risk. I would push for the execs and higher ups to park there. You know if THEY have to park there, security will improve.

+ Add a Comment