Inferno

Abstract

One night, I was assigned to work alone in psychiatric rooms in the emergency room at the hospital. One of my patients had a criminal history and unbeknownst to me, he had not been properly searched for weapons or items he could use to cause injury to self or others. He had concealed razor blades on his person and then abruptly he attacked me as I was updating the patient on the plan of care that the doctor was discharging him. There was a split second where I could have fought back or escaped, I chose to run. I ran out of the room, slamming the door behind me. I was covered in blood. Then other staff arrived as someone watching the cameras had alerted security what was happening. As a result of the attack, I have post-traumatic stress disorder. I am now a firm advocate that no staff member should ever be assigned to work alone in psychiatric rooms, to prevent other staff from being placed in the same situation I was in when I was attacked. I wrote this poem as part of my process to express my rage and to reclaim my power. Violence of any kind in healthcare, whether it be physical with guns or fists, or psychological with verbal threats and abuse, should never be tolerated. It is my fervent hope that all healthcare organizations will take a stand against violence in the workplace and staff their units safely to prevent serious physical and psychological injuries to healthcare professionals.

Keywords: Healing; Mental health; PTSD; Recovery; Trauma; Violence in healthcare.