AUGUSTA, Maine (WGME) — The state nursing union held a news conference on Tuesday to highlight what it says are patient safety concerns, including a shortage of nurses and workplace violence.
Nurses at Maine Medical Center in Portland alone say more than 250 nurses have been seriously injured in incidents of workplace violence, forcing them to take time off work.
Nurses in the nursing union paint a frightening picture of the workplace violence they’ve been experiencing in Maine’s two largest hospitals, namely patients attacking them verbally and physically.
Many are trained in de-escalation, but they say when they’re overworked, they don’t have time to develop a good rapport with patients and their families.
Members of the Maine State Nurses Association blame chronic staffing shortages and often high patient-to-nurse ratios for an increase in violence at Maine’s two largest hospitals.
“My coworkers have been punched in the face. One had their nose broken. I personally have been hit, kicked, spit at. Others have been thrown to the ground and choked,” said Kirsten Lane, a, ER nurse at Maine Medical Center.
“Indeed, we are seeing increased threats against staff,” said Faye Weir, with Maine Medical Center Patient Support Services.
Weir leads patient support services at Maine Medical Center. She says the nursing union demand to mandate the number of patients they see is not the answer.
“Mandated nurse-patient ratios don’t do anything to increase nurse safety or staff safety,” Weir said.
However, nurses say when they’re stretched thin by being consistently asked to do more with less, it leads to more patient falls, bed sores, medication errors, and negative outcomes.
The state nursing union held a news conference on Tuesday to highlight what it says are patient safety concerns. (WGME)
“Nurses are rushing from one room to the next, frantically juggling care for too many patients. It is a fundamental flaw in our healthcare system that puts profit ahead of patient safety,” said Jesse Lambert, a Northern Light oncology nurse.
However, the head of nursing and patient care at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor says nurse staffing levels are in line with other hospitals and are not impacting patient care.
CBS13 asked: “What is your response to what nurses are saying?”
in a statement, Deborah Sanford, the vice president of nursing and patient care services for Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center, said:
“We monitor patient volume and acuity and ensure our day-to-day staffing enables us to provide the high quality of care our patients have come to expect.”
However, nurses call the imbalance with patient loads dangerous.
“The time has come for our hospitals to implement safe patient ratios,” said Erin Oberson, an EMMC labor and delivery nurse.
“Imagine being so opposed just to protect your bottom line,” added Kelli Brennan, a Maine Medical Center neurotrauma nurse.
MaineHeath Maine Medical Center (WGME)
The nursing union argues basic needs of patients are not being met in the state’s largest hospitals because they’re overworked, unlike California hospitals with mandated nurse-patient ratios.
“Do you believe that? CBS13 reporter Brad Rogers asked.”No. And actually, the data out of California shows that they, again, with mandated nurse to patient ratios have poorer outcomes than we do in the state of Maine,” Weir said.
MaineHealth says part of the problem is a nursing shortage. Nurses disagree.
“There is not a nursing shortage. There is a shortage of nurses that are willing to work in the hospital under those conditions”, said Brennan.
The emergency room currently has Maine Medical Center’s only metal detector. Nurses want them at all hospital entrances.
“Come across a lot of weapons that have made their way into the hospital. We have had people bring in weapons with intent to harm”, Lane said.