To say that I am shell-shocked is an understatement!

A nurse, a woman, being beaten, spat on, head stomped on, flung to the ground like an inanimate object are scenes from a viral video that has caused me restless nights. A powerless and defenceless nurse at the mercy of what appeared to be a gun-slinging bully and coward. This is not an isolated incident, but a microcosm of a greater societal problem that must be addressed with alacrity.

How can this perpetrator be so heartless and brutal to a woman, a nurse in uniform, who in the next few hours may be required to provide care? When will we as a nation confront the culture of violence in our society and, to a greater extent, violence against women and children? How long will we sit on our laurels and watch heinous acts such as these, and this level of savagery, perpetuated in our country? This is a call to action because we can no longer sit idly by and allow the impact of violence to further erode the moral fabric of our society.

Nurses, midwives, and health-care workers are generally respected and cared for by the public; however, it is clear to me that attitudes have shifted, resulting in scant regard being accorded to the welfare of health-care workers.

I am outraged by this attack on the nurse and join with those condemning this dastardly act and wait with optimism for decisive actions to be taken and the full force of the law brought to bear on the prosecution of the perpetrator.

This is an attack on not only nurses but women and girls, generally. This may be substantiated by the fact that I am currently grappling with emotions surrounding a missing female student from our institution. By and large, the impact of violence extends beyond the immediate victim, it affects everyone. Will this be another nine-day wonder?

Violence against nurses is not a new phenomenon. On May 6, 2017, in a Jamaica Observer article, I highlighted the experiences of nurses as it related to violence against them, which evidently has transcended the walls of health facilities to the street. Hear their voices: One nurse recounted, “Some of these patients are sometimes aggressive…so we have a lot of challenges facing us.” Another commented: “Persons are aggressive, and sometimes they will attack…they say things, they will do things to you…they are threatening…” One nurse remarked, “I’m normally a cheerful person…I worked in A&E [Accident and Emergency Department] for over a year… but because of the constant abuse — verbal and threats — I requested to be assigned somewhere else.” Another recalled: “The abuse is terrible. During my rotation on [a ward] I was styled as ‘gyal’… ‘Gyal, mind how you a give me the injection.’ And those who don’t style you as ‘gyal’ are [seeking sexual favours], and others will tell you who will be shooting you. [That’s] the abuse you get.” Said a third nurse: “It can be [stressful]…there is the abuse, and I mean abuse. People will literally want to hurt you. They will curse you out, style you all sort of ways. When you have to approach a situation like this, it is very stressful.

Though each nurse has a different experience to share, one summed it up by making reference to the likely effects of these experiences: “You may not want to come to work…it is promoting staff absenteeism, because some of them mark your face… For this reason, you may not want to come to work. It is worthy of note that violence against nurses may be perpetrated by others in the work environment and is not necessarily confined to patients or their relatives.”

These comments highlight the cruel injustice and often overlooked violence faced by nurses and other health-care workers. Nurses dedicate their lives to caring for others, yet many are subjected to abuse, neglect, and even fatal harm during the course of carrying out their duties. These selfless professionals deserve protection and respect.

As a nation, we need stringent legislation and workplace safety and accountability policies in support of nurses and other health-care workers. We have a moral obligation to recognise the work and worth of nurses and other health-care workers. Any harm to health-care workers or any loss of life because of inaction as a nation is a blot on our collective conscience. Health-care workers’ lives matter, and so must our response.

Firearm Licensing Authority (FLA)

In light of the gun-slinging posture of the perpetrator who brutally attacked the nurse, I am forced to question the effectiveness of the Firearm Licensing Authority’s (FLA) fit and proper assessment that is required as a part of the firearm licensing application process. By the same token, I wonder if any merit can be given to subjecting applicants to psychological testing as part of the application process.

I am concerned that the perpetrator in the viral video is the owner of a firearm, which he appeared to be using to not only intimidate the nurse but also the good Samaritans.

An Emergency

This heinous, brutal, and senseless act against the nurse is an emergency and should be treated as such. Violence against nurses, women, and girls is a societal problem which requires collective action to cauterise. It is full time our Government, policymakers, security forces, technocrats in the health sector, communities, and families, in a concerted effort, adopt zero-tolerance policies and measures that protect women and girls, promote a culture of respect for all health-care workers, implement punitive measures against perpetrators, invest in and make available self-defence training for health-care workers as well as increase security measures.

We need to commit not just in words but through our actions. We need a safer Jamaica and work environment, not just for nurses but for everyone. We are forever grateful that the nurse in the viral video was assisted to hospital and that she is alive.

In a May 14, 2017 Jamaica Observer article, I explored possible solutions to cauterise violence against women and girls in Jamaica. These solutions are still relevant, and I am still of the view that Jamaica can effectively and successfully address violence against women and girls.

Adella Campbell, is former head of the Caribbean School of Nursing, College of Health Sciences, University of Technology, Jamaica.