| The woman, who does not want to be named, claims she and her frightened colleagues have to visit patient’s homes unaccompanied late at night when working shifts as a district nurse.
She said many district nurses are afraid of going to see patients in certain areas of the city without a co-worker going with them.
She said, “I often dread going into work as I don’t know which area I will be in. We have to work until 10 a few nights a week and we are expected to go out on our own in the dark.
“Some of the areas we go into can be really daunting, as we all just feel really vulnerable.
“The few times we go in doubles is when a patient requires two people to treat them medically — it is never about the safety of the staff.
“Community safety officers go about in twos, as do police, nobody else has to go about on their own.”
The health professional, who has been a nurse for many years, said district nurses are having to put themselves in unnecessarily risky situations.
“Some of the areas we go into can be frightening and feel unsafe,” she said.
“We have to visit a lot of schemes and tenements which are intimidating enough during the day. The Hilltown and Menzieshill have got really bad press recently about the amount of crime, which makes us all the more scared.
“We also have to take our bags with us while visiting people and they could look like we are carrying drugs for patients. We are not allowed to carry drugs, but most people won’t realise that and it does make you feel even more vulnerable.”
The concerned nurse claims management officials are not taking her safety concerns into account.
“We have spoken to management about our concerns but they just tell us that we have mobiles and personal safety alarms. That doesn’t make me feel safe, I'm not sure I would think to use them if something happened.
“The situation is not quite as bad in the summer with the lighter nights, but now the late nights are coming in, it can be really scary.
“I just don’t think anyone is taking into account the areas we are going alone, it is a shame because some of our patients have even said they are worried about us going out on our own.
“It really makes me not want to go out to do my job.”
Her husband also said he was concerned about the potential danger his wife faces.
“I am extremely worried about the safety of my wife and all the other district nurse doing the same thing,” he said.
“Surely there is a health and safety aspect to think about. Some of the closes and tenements these nurses are going to at night would make most people nervous. The incident in Menzieshill recently where a man got stabbed shows how dangerous certain places can be.
“I am very worried about the situation, my wife is extremely timid and to be honest is terrified. It is just unsafe.”
Joan Wilson, head of nursing and public health in Dundee, said the body took the welfare and safety of its staff “extremely seriously” and that it had a lone working policy in place.
She said, “Senior or line managers are responsible for ensuring that risk assessments are carried out when a member of staff may be working by themselves. Procedures and safe systems of work are then put in place to eliminate or reduce the risks associated with working alone.”
She said that nurses were not allowed to work alone between 10pm and 8am and always doubled up if visiting a new patient who may be a concern. She also said that all nurses carried personal alarms and mobile phones so their whereabouts could be ascertained at all times.
She added that any member of staff with concerns about lone working should speak to their manager. |
