WORCESTER, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) - A state investigation has confirmed what FOX Undercover first reported two months ago: workplace violence at the state's premier psychiatric hospital is out of control.
Wednesday was the deadline for the Department of Labor Standards giving Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital to take corrective action on seven different problem areas. The problems areas cover everything from violence prevention to security and training. The deadline comes after FOX Undercover obtained disturbing numbers from the state about attacks on nurses and mental health workers.
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The attacks are not isolated incidents. FOX Undercover obtained documents from the Department of Mental Health back in June, revealing a disturbing pattern of attacks at the facility. FOX Undercover discovered those attacks are on the rise. Since 2013, there have been 189 assaults on employees. That has resulted in days off due to injuries, totaling 5,602 days missed. That's more than 15 years worth of time off in just two years.
Registered nurse Laurie Grover is one of the faces behind the numbers. She was attacked by two patients at once earlier in 2015. The nurse was trying to restrain a patient who lunged at her with a metal shank, when another female patient attacked her from behind.
"It was the worst beating I've ever taken in my life. Nobody else should have to do that. It's not worth the paycheck," said Grover.
The Massachusetts Nurses Association blames the problems on a lack of staffing and a lack of policies to prevent workplace violence.
Now the state's Department of Labor Standards is coming down hard on Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital, with a written warning and order to correct.
The report notes that in March and April, "74 percent of work related injuries which required medical treatment or lost days were caused by aggression of patients against staff."
"Nobody goes to work to get beat up. But that's what you all worry about? We all go in and anyone of us could not go home that night," said Val Quitadamo.
Registered nurse Val Quitadamo is chairperson of the Massachusetts Nurses Association at Worcester Recovery Center and Hospital.
"This report acknowledges that the violence at the hospital was over and above what it should be," she said.
The report goes on to point out issue after issue contributing to the problems:
- "(The hospital) does not have patient medical or behavioral history for all new admissions"
- "The facility design has features that could contribute to agitated or violent behavior against staff"
- "A lack of security"
- "The current training strategy is not adequate to prevent employee injury from patient violence"
"Right now, it's talk and no action. We have the report and that validates what we've been telling them. Now we need to see some action," said Quitadamo.
The deadline for corrective action is Wednesday, Sept. 30. Department of Labor Standards tells FOX Undercover that the Department of Mental Health has has indicated it will detail the corrective action it's taken in a letter this week, and what's still being worked on. DMH will also be asking for an extension for some items.
DMH Spokesperson Rhonda Mann told FOX Undercover that they had already implemented a new training curriculum at the Worcester Recovery Center "to help reduce escalation and improve interactions with patients." DMH also developed new nursing protocols and reviews to monitor patients that are a safety risk.
There are other bills under consideration on Beacon Hill that would also address hospital safety.
Cox Media Group
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