'It won't be tolerated': Nurse speaks out about violent and verbal abuse on job

Gemma Gessey, sister in the emergency department (ED), has worked for The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust for seven years and has been victim of verbal and physical abuse on numerous occasions.

The 28-year-old, who works at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital, expects to deal with challenging situations from patients who might be confused and vulnerable in an unfamiliar environment.

But after recalling her own experience, she says there is no excuse to abuse staff.

“In terms of nurses in ED, I don’t think I’ve met anyone here who hasn’t been physically or verbally attacked,” said Gemma.

“The one that comes to mind out of the many I have encountered would be when I was kicked in my abdomen and genital area by a patient, and then spat at.

“I saw a security guard struggling with an aggressive patient who had managed to get a hold of their radio wire and had it wrapped around the guard’s neck and my reaction was to help him.

“I was then kicked in the stomach and genital area before we were able to get the patient safely to the floor.

"I was reassuring the patient that we were here to help him and that was when he spat in my face. I have never felt so disrespected.”

Gemma decided to press charges against the individual as a warning to others that this type of behaviour is unacceptable.

“The person was charged with assault on an emergency service worker,” she said.

“They were given community service, fined and ordered to pay me compensation, which I did not claim.

"I did not have them prosecuted for money, I wanted them to understand that abuse on any NHS worker will result in consequences for their actions.

“I come to work to care for sick patients, not to be abused - and it will not be tolerated anymore.

“I am someone’s daughter, sister, friend and work colleague. If I was to do that to you, how would you feel? It wouldn’t be tolerated in public so it shouldn’t in a hospital environment.

“I think a lot of it stems from frustration, and patients who are intoxicated.

"I think abuse towards staff used to be something we expected working in ED. But the culture is changing whereby no abuse – verbal or physical – is tolerated and we are encouraged by all senior staff to report any abuse we encounter.

“We empathise with patients’ frustrations with delays and waiting times.

"However, they have gone from clapping for us to hurling abuse at us. We are human, and are trying our best.”

Gemma admits the incident has made her more wary about dealing with patients in potentially confrontational situations in future.

“If any aggressive patients attend the department, I inform security and the nurse in charge about them,” she said.

“It makes me think of the worst-case scenarios, so I am prepared for the worst.”

At New Cross Hospital, alerts on the electronic patient system are used to inform staff of any patients’ previous episodes of aggressive behaviour.

Paramedics are also informed so they are aware of patients’ history of aggression, while a security guard is permanently stationed in ED.

As to why the abuse occurs, Gemma believes the expectations of the public have changed.

“We now live in a society where you can get things whenever you want – next-day delivery and people see us as the cause for them having to wait,” she said.

Patients can become frustrated at waiting to be treated but there are many reasons for this, Gemma says.

“There are staffing issues due to sickness, increased numbers of patients, public expectations and the pandemic,” she said.

“We accept everyone who presents to us. Our department is also the local centre for acute stroke and heart attacks. So we also have out-of-area patients who need to receive time-sensitive treatment.

“We don’t want to have patients wait longer than expected, but we do everything we can to ensure patient care and treatment is delivered within a safe and timely manner.”