Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) issued a statement on Saturday denouncing ‘in the strongest terms’ the harassment received by a nurse in Cebu hospital.
The nursing organization issued a position statement after a video of a nurse being assaulted by a patient and her relative in Cebu Provincial Hospital in Balamban went viral online.
The video shows a woman angrily shouting at the nurse inside the station, and her significant other forcefully grabbing the ID of the health worker.
Here’s the PNA’s full statement on the incident:
PNA POSITION STATEMENT ON THE CEBU NURSE INCIDENT
November 18, 2017
The PNA is outraged by the assault of a colleague working in a district hospital in Cebu and denounces in the strongest terms all forms of workplace violence against nurses.
We understand that if one’s act by mere fault or negligence can make him liable for damages for injury caused thereby, with more reason should abusive acts such as the one shown in the video where the man accompanying the patient assaulted our Nurse colleague inside the Hospital.
We, Nurses, commit each day to safe patient care, risking even our own health. We work each minute most of the time underpaid, worst as volunteers without pay in dire work conditions, and yet fulfill our sworn duty to serve patients. We respect the rights of patients and understand that they have unique concerns but not at the expense of the dignity of nurses and our safety.
Assuming our Nurses commit mistakes, rebukes and reprimands are the very sort of behavior that we would expect from patient and/or patient’s relatives who are dissatisfied with our performance. But clearly, the patient and her relative as shown in the video has over step the bounds of what can be considered reasonableness of their actions.
We, Nurses, are trained to meet with acquiescence harsh words, insults and indignities from patients and/or patient’s relative but in this Cebu case no reasonable person could be expected to endure it. Said act/s against our Nurse was extremely outrageous as to be tortious.
The PNA National takes this as a serious offense against all of us, Nurses. We thank PNA Cebu Chapter for their immediate response and for taking the initial steps in reaching out to our colleague. We will meet the Nurse involved the soonest and look at our legal option to protect the right of our said member.
PNA Board of Trustees and other officers in Central Visayas trooped to the hospital on Sunday to investigate and draw appropriate action.
PNA Cebu Chapter reported afterwards that the “nurse allegedly harassed in the video who went viral in social media is now in good condition and recovering from traumatic experience. She will pursue a good fight in aid with the legal assistance offered by our very own Nurse-Lawyer Atty. Rey Cris Panugaling & colleagues and with the constant guidance of PNA Cebu Chapter.”
The organization is also appealing “to the general public to treat our overworked, underpaid, exploited and abused Nurses with utmost respect.” [via Jon Luzmar Del-Castillo Empenado, PNA Cebu]
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