A 40-year-old nurse was assaulted on Tuesday by an inmate at an Institution in Thessaloniki, who grabbed her by the hair and dragged her to the infirmary of the structure, as a result of which the victim was taken to the hospital as a precaution. The workers denounce the daily phenomena of violence, “screaming” for the recruitment of staff and, at the same time, express fears about when they will return safely, as it is not the only incident that has occurred recently.

The nightmare at the structure in question begins long before the attack of a food worker on a worker on Tuesday afternoon. As an employee complains, violence – in any form – seems to be a daily occurrence, pointing out that there is one nurse for 15 patients per shift.

“Most of our employees are women. We cannot go to work and not know if we will return. For some time now we have been trying to cope with the needs, but with such a small staff it is impossible and, at the same time, the delinquent behavior of the guests is increasing more and more. They are not hiring staff and now there has been an increase in violence towards us. It doesn’t go any further. Something has to be done» he said characteristically.

They grant… reduced treatments – They look for the doctor on the phone

Especially today, after the large absorption of nurses in other branches, most health structures operate almost with “security staff”, but the routine causes those guests who have clarity to suffocate, while those who need medication receive reduced doses, with the staff in the specific case, to be on an open line with a treating physician via… telephone! “The understaffing of the staff is also reflected in the fact that we communicate with the doctor by phone. We don’t have a doctor in the structure and that’s a big issue. Also, when they admit patients to psychiatric hospitals they give them reduced treatment, with the result that when they return back to the structure, they manifest the delinquent behavior even faster. The situation has reached an impasse» notes the worker.

According to the complaint, within the structure it is a “shared secret” the escalation of delinquent behavior by a significant portion of those in care, as officially the Greek Police intervenes once a month. Unofficially, though, twice a week. “In the last year things have gotten out of hand, there are too many incidents and we can no longer manage them. When a person attacks me psychologically we inform the police. They take them to the mental hospital and then come back. It’s a vicious circle“, he emphasized.

It is noted that due to the successive incidents of violence, the employees of the specific structure are preparing mobilizations, with the aim of having their demands heard.