A disturbing finding from a poll by the All India Federation of Government Doctors’ Association (AIFGDA) is that Telangana’s healthcare staff are notably ignorant about the state’s rules against violence. More than 400 healthcare workers participated in the poll, which revealed that 28% of participants were ignorant of the regulations currently in place to shield medical staff from abuse. Remarkably, fewer than 8 percent of respondents think these laws are working as intended.
The results highlight a significant void in the application and understanding of protective laws. Healthcare professionals, who frequently provide direct patient care, are more and more vulnerable to assault, especially from irate family members during traumatic medical events. Healthcare professionals have demanded the creation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) that can be instantly triggered in the event of violent acts in reaction to the poll results.
Respondents provided many suggestions to improve the safety of healthcare personnel and the management of violence-related occurrences in addition to procedural changes. A noteworthy recommendation is to mandate emotional support for bereaved family members of patients, understanding that offering this kind of assistance may lessen resentment and rage that could otherwise result in violent outbursts.
In order to more effectively combat violence against healthcare personnel, the paper promotes the creation of stricter legislation including medical groups. It suggests creating a specific medical service cadre, with selection limited to qualified doctors, akin to the All India Services (IAS, IPS, IRS). The goal of this program is to give healthcare providers a more organized and safe environment.
Other suggestions include designating hospitals as “protection zones” with specialized security guards to control crowds and keep the peace. The report underscores the imperative for hospitals to install alarm systems in each ward to facilitate effective communication in the event of an emergency. It proposes that in order to properly handle any potential crowd-related difficulties, security professionals should be present during every shift.
It also emphasizes how critical it is to create a structured entity within hospitals to offer patients’ relatives emotional assistance. This proactive strategy seeks to lessen the likelihood of violent altercations by attending to family members’ emotional needs at pivotal times.
In order to safeguard healthcare workers and guarantee a safer working environment, fundamental changes in the industry are urgently needed, as the survey’s findings and recommendations demonstrate. Policymakers might better examine essential adjustments to hospital practices and laws to effectively reduce violence in medical settings by drawing on the ideas from healthcare personnel.
SOURCE :
TIMES OF INDIA
