2020-09-01
The ACT Government has launched a new campaign to increase community awareness and understanding about acceptable behaviour towards nurses and midwives working in Canberra’s health system.
Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said the Be kind and respectful to our nurses and midwives campaign calls out violence and aggressive behaviour and aims to increase understanding of what is and isn’t acceptable when interacting with healthcare workers.
“Canberra has more than 7,000 nurses, midwives and nurse practitioners providing care every day in our homes, community health centres, Walk-in Centres and hospitals.
“We know most Canberrans value our nurses and midwives, treating them with respect and kindness. Yet our nurses and midwives still experience a high rate of occupational violence from people in our community.
“Occupational violence is not just physical. Yelling, name calling, sneering, rude gestures, intimidating body language and other non-physical behaviours are also aggressive and can significantly impact the safety and wellbeing of healthcare workers,” said Minister Stephen-Smith.
Minister for Mental Health Shane Rattenbury said “Canberra’s nurses, including our mental health staff, are caring, dedicated, professional and resilient. They do an extraordinary job in what can be a challenging environment at the best of times – especially so, during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. They deserve to be treated with respect, and they deserve to be safe at work.”
“The ACT Government is fully committed to doing what we can to stop incidents of violence in our health system - but cannot do this without the help of the entire community,” said Minister Rattenbury.
The campaign was developed with input from ACT Health, Canberra Health Services, Calvary Public Hospital Bruce, consumers and the ACT Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation.
“This campaign has been informed by consultation with ACT nurses, midwives and the Canberra community in recognition that we all have a role to play in creating a safe and respectful environment for nurses and midwives,” said Minister Stephen-Smith.
The campaign is one deliverable of the Nurses and Midwives: Towards a Safer Culture Strategy. The strategy, under the ACT Labor-Greens Parliamentary Agreement, was released in December 2018 and sets the ACT’s vision for a safer and healthier environment for all nursing and midwifery staff.
This complements other work underway across the ACT to reduce instances of occupational violence for all staff across public health settings.
This includes:
• Implementation of the Canberra Health Services Occupational Violence Strategy.
• Implementation of the Speak up for Safety and Great Workplaces Program at Calvary Public Hospital Bruce.
• Significant work to invest in developing and shaping positive workplaces under the Independent Review into Workplace Culture within ACT Public Health Services.
Quote attributable to Matthew Daniel, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation ACT Branch Secretary:
“The launch of the public communication campaign marks a significant milestone in the Government's strategy to reduce occupational violence and it reflects a real commitment to supporting the vital work undertaken by Canberra's nurses and midwives.
“Nurses and midwives do their very best to meet the care needs of their patients and the ANMF is hopeful that the public will embrace the campaign messages.
“Nurses and midwives understand that people can find the uncertainty of illness or hospitalisation stressful, but it helps no one if nurses and midwives are concerned about their own safety.
“Nurses and midwives don't seek the public's adulation but they do deserve to be respected for the work they do and to be kept safe - the public communication strategy demonstrates the Government's commitment to a care environment free of violence,” said Mr Daniel.
The campaign comprises awareness-raising videos and information which will be distributed online and in healthcare settings across Canberra.