Criminal Assault due to "criminal neglect"?

[1Tulip]

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?

[diane227, LPN, RN]

First of all, don't get a hospital employee parking sticker on your car. Park where you want to. What city are you in? Are you part of a union? You can get crime stats for any city on line. In addition, do you carry a gun? Can you get a carry permit in your state? Do you know how to properly use a firearm?

I live in Washington state just outside Seattle having moved here from Texas. I have a carry permit and I carry my pistol 24/7. We are supposed to have a parking sticker but I don't have one and I park where I want. Security knows this and they don't ticket my car because they know I will throw a fit. And we have dark parking lots and "security" officers who don't even carry pepper spray. What good are they anyway. They can't help me when I need help now. What are they going to do if someone jumps me in the parking lot, blow their horn?

You need to get a copy of the meeting minutes where this issue was discussed and hang on to them. If you really want to stir the pot, take a copy of those meeting minutes to your local news media and tell them your story. I bet you will get better parking after that.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

Do you live in a state that allows concealed carry of firearms? If so I would suggest purchasing a handgun, taking a training course to learn to use it and aquiring a concealed carry permit. In addition I like what others have suggested in going to your cars in groups and getting OSHA involved.

[DesertwindRN, ADN, RN]

I worked at a hospital like that. During orientation security told us how unsafe we were and even offered to sell a whistle and/or pepper spray to anyone with the price. Nice and accurate first impression. We finally got a petition and with all the names on that petition sent it to whoever was supposed to get petitions. I thought this all a waste of time but it came in real handy for the nurses a few weeks later who were assaulted. One was beaten and raped the other beaten and robbed. They no longer deal with idiots at hospitals and that hospital has just top of the line security today. Sad that we have so little value to some of these hospitals.

Big signs on doors of hospitals here "No weapons allowed". Grounds for firing. Also I would worry about the gun getting into the wrong hands and causing harm. Scrubs ----- where does one hide the gun? Can't leave it in nurse bag------may get into wrong person's hands.

Just curious.

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

Years ago when I worked in an ED, two nurses from the hospital were assaulted several weeks apart near the parking garage. One was raped. Security was increased after that.

I have no evidence, but my instinct tells me nurses coming and going on/off shift in deserted parking lots might be at a higher risk for assault. Predators are drawn to their desired prey and opportunity, and they have to know hospitals will have nurses (mostly women) coming and going in the dark and in vulnerable positions.

[1Tulip]

We are trying to work on a team approach for going to our cars. This does not work as well upon arrival which is also (at this time of year) in the dark. So... it is more than likely we will at some point be walking alone in the dark to work.

Our unit is fortunate in that we are on the first floor of the hospital, at the butt end of an old wing. There is some parking there that is not used too much and we may be able to get away with parking illegally for a while. There is a limit to how much we can get away with because our citations will be turned over to human resources and we will be warned, then "counseled" then let go. 1-2-3 strikes we're out. We are being "watched" if we fail to register our vehicles by a specific date in March. Once registered, the parking Nazi's will be on the lookout for our cars.

Most of us have registered cars we don't intend to drive to work anyway.

As far as quitting and working elsewhere... there is only one other hospital in town, and they aren't hiring very many nurses right now. (The economy here is above 12% unemployment, so few people are letting go of jobs regardless of how poorly they're treated.)

Pepper spray is certainly an option. The use of pepper spray is tricky depending upon the wind. If you're assailant has the wind at his back, you'll be hit by as much spray or more than he will.

I'll tell you what. I have had one knee replaced in October. Another one next month. There is no way I'm going to be nimble enough to run 10 feet or even struggle much if attacked. It makes you feel very vulnerable.

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

Maybe a taser or stun gun would be better than pepper spray?

[MaxAttack, BSN, RN]

I would contact DesertwindRN and multicollinearity and see if it's possible to get the police reports from these incidents to show just how dangerous and reckless this really is. They're setting themselves up for a gross negligence lawsuit and possible criminal charges. Here's some things that might be of interest to you:

"Nurses Are Frequent Targets of Workplace Violence"

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/716480?src=mp&spon=24&uac=142695BX

Nurses who worked in the emergency department and mental health units reported the highest mean number of violent incidents per staff member

"Workplace Violence"

http://www.nysna.org/practice/positions/position39.htm

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2000, the injury rate for nurses is among the highest

[F]actors contributing to violent incidents consisting of...[a] lack of policies and programs to prevent and reduce violent incidents

The Occupational Safety and Health Actof 1970 mandates that, beyond compliance with hazard-specific standards, all organizations have a general duty to provide their employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards, that are likely to cause death or serious physical harm. The Act's "General Duty Clause" can be used to cite employers who violate this clause because they have not safeguarded their organization from recognized harm and lack strategies to prevent or abate workplace violence

"Violence Against Nurses Working in US Emergency Departments"

http://journals.lww.com/jonajournal/Abstract/2009/07000/Violence_Against_Nurses_Working_in_US_Emergency.9.aspx

Violence against ED nurses is highly prevalent

"More Than Half of Emergency Department Nurses Have Been Physically Assaulted at Work"

http://ehstoday.com/fire_emergencyresponse/news/emergency-department-physically-assaulted-work-4101/

A new study by the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) finds that more than half of emergency nurses report experiencing physical violence on the job

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

I agree with the majority, find a new job. That is easier said than done though. Here's a suggestion, set up a free acount with surveymonkey.com. Create your own survey and get your coworkers to take it. If you could prove that say 70% of your coworkers felt unsafe, that might give you some ammo for change. Good luck!

Chris

[fungez]

Do you work for an HCA hospital?

My condolences. This is an assault or homicide waiting to happen. And your management knows about it and doesn't care. They suck. You can bet they're parking in nice, cozy, well lit lots.

Personally, I'd go to the media and see if they'd pick the story up.

[AngelfireRN, MSN, RN, APRN]

My hospital tried to pull the old "I don't care if you have a carry permit, you leave your gun at home" BS with us. Bull pippy. I have a license, the 2nd Amendment, and my stubborn Irish head against your sniggly little rule any day.

They backed down after I asked who I could expect to walk me to and from my clinic each day, as it was across the street from the hospital, and backed up to some HOA townhomes (that I know now have some rather unsavory-looking characters that would fight to the death to protect me) that scared me to look at them.

I have my 9mm in my car and most days, in my hand, if I have to be here after dark. If it comes to it, yes, I'll use it. The ensuing media circus will be enough to salve my soul even if I DO get fired for having it. It's one thing to have rules, but to expect your staff, especially FEMALE staff, to put their lives and safety on the line because you're too doggone lazy to do right is a crock.

And I don't care who knows I said it, because they all heard me already, anyway.

[1Tulip]

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.

We are SEIU. So far they have been incredibly uninterested. Some nurses who believe in and work with the union may try to get them to notice the problem. We'll see. But mostly, lights are not part of our contract.

[1Tulip]

My hospital tried to pull the old "I don't care if you have a carry permit, you leave your gun at home" BS with us. Bull pippy. I have a license, the 2nd Amendment, and my stubborn Irish head against your sniggly little rule any day.

They backed down after I asked who I could expect to walk me to and from my clinic each day, as it was across the street from the hospital, and backed up to some HOA townhomes (that I know now have some rather unsavory-looking characters that would fight to the death to protect me) that scared me to look at them.

I have my 9mm in my car and most days, in my hand, if I have to be here after dark. If it comes to it, yes, I'll use it. The ensuing media circus will be enough to salve my soul even if I DO get fired for having it. It's one thing to have rules, but to expect your staff, especially FEMALE staff, to put their lives and safety on the line because you're too doggone lazy to do right is a crock.

And I don't care who knows I said it, because they all heard me already, anyway.

I didn't put this on my original post. But the administrator and "Safety" officer simultaneously had convulsions when a nurse asked about concealed carry permits. After they recovered, they informed us that the campus is strictly a "gun free zone" and anyone violating it would be summarily fired. ("Gun free zone", AKA "Kill zone"... the place where thugs know they have nothing to fear.)

I have also found out that at least 6 doctors that I KNOW about carry. I have no idea how many are armed that I don't know about.

For nurses who want to survive coming and going to work, and who have made the decision to legally carry a pistol, it is strictly "don't ask, don't tell."