Letter

Letter to the Editor, 82 words:

"Work for the Queensland Government? Think you have rights? Forget it. Anna Bligh's squeezing tens of thousands of dollars out of any employee with the nerve to fight their corner, hiring high-priced lawyers, dragging them through hearing after hearing, then sticking them with the bill. Everyone from cleaners to clerks are affected, you can't be too poor for our Premier. There's a dark and nasty streak beneath the show biz smile. Check out qhealthspeakout.blogspot.com/2009/10/letter.html to find out more."

Background to those comments HERE and HERE

Courier Mail, Saturday 24th October 2009

Just click on the pic to enlarge it, and make it readable.

Queensland Health, stop hiding . . .

K******,

I note you have completely avoided answering any of the serious questions I raised with you in my letter of 15th October 2009, and I've therefore attached it again for your convenience.

Firstly, if you need any further information from me (re the questions in my email 15th October 2009), please put each of your questions in dot point form, and I guarantee they will be answered within 24 hours.

Secondly, in view of my previous experiences with Queensland Health (and the current experience of some Queensland Health Employees), I would not go into any "Meeting" with management unless accompanied by a phalanx of lawyers, and I'm not willing to make that kind of outlay right now (though I guess your own pockets are deep re legal avenues, attached as they are to the public purse).

You have 10 questions from me in all. None of them are complex, and all of them (except the first, which you have much further detail on anyway), involves an over-arching policy issue.

Please respond to/answer those questions as I have requested (in the letter attached to my email of 15th October 2009, and attached again here). They are still outstanding, and will formally remain so until Queensland Health answers them in writing.

And lastly? Please don't continue to suggest I need "Counselling." The only remedy I need is direct answers, to direct questions.

Regards, Kim

Qld nurses, STILL punching bags?

Nurses at The Park stop work over lack of security

Courier Mail article 19th Oct 2009

. . . and here's the comment to that story I submitted to The Courier Mail:

Queensland Health is a disgrace. I'm a mental health nurse (RN), and I work in an acute psychiatric unit a stone's throw from The Park Centre for Mental Health (they often send us their too-disturbed patients). One of our very experienced, gentle and completely professional male nurses is going through hell (and huge legal fees), because he was accused of "Assaulting" a large, violent male patient who had first thumped him, and many others. He was told (in writing), that he wasn't entitled to "Natural justice" and forbidden from talking to his colleagues. Further, no nurse manager even bothered to speak to him first before he was suspended. As a result, the unit is now extremely dangerous because after seeing what has happened to their colleague, no-one is willing to restrain violent patients. Further still, even though management are aware of this ongoing and dangerous situation, they're ignoring it and refusing to do anything about it.

Problem solving for Q Health . . .

While the above might be usual Queensland Government tactics, here's some real solutions . . . to all the rot that's currently happening in a Q Health acute psychiatric unit . . .

• Scrap the internal Q Health investigation of the nurse who was accused of assaulting a patient, in the process of restraining a large, violent man who had first thumped the nurse, and multiple others. It is now (2 months later), far too compromised by internal politics and a completely amateurish approach (to what is, after all, a criminal matter). Hand everything over to the police (including all documentation to date), and let them deal with it. Further, as the police (one would assume), know none of the protagonists from a bar of soap, it's far more like they'll take a completely fair and impartial approach. In fact, the police should have been called in from the outset - which reminds me (after witnessing this debacle), if I'm ever accused of "Assaulting" a patient by Q Health, the first number I'll call is triple O . . .

• Appoint independent, outside investigators to the case of the nurse manager who (allegedly), either through malice or incompetence, failed to pass on vital information about an enrolled nurse who was suspended (re allegations of wrongdoing), e.g. that they had been formally cleared by patient safety services - with the nurse manager then (allegedly), taking further action which led to the acquisition of more witness statements against the enrolled nurse, and formal notification the Queensland Nursing Council (both re the already dis-proved allegations of wrong doing). Consider standing this nurse manager down from their current role while the investigation is underway, to prevent Q Health incurring any further (potential), liability for their actions.

• Issue a policy statement which makes it clear all psychiatric patients travelling in Q Health cars must do so with a driver (obviously), AND another nurse - or possibly two other nurses, depending on the acuity/risk level of the patient.

• Issue a policy statement which makes it clear nurses are not to be threatened with disciplinary action (which includes mentioning the Code of Conduct), when they voice safety concerns in relation to carrying out a directive. Their safety concerns must be investigated and addressed first.

• Appoint independent, outside investigators to survey staff re potential harassment and bullying, publish the results and make recommendations.

• Appoint independent, outside investigators to survey staff about their current refusal/extreme reluctance to restrain violent patients, publish the results and make recommendations.

Qld Health, I've paid my dues . . .

You can feel the fear in Queensland Health, and I certainly can. But you don't have to "Do" anything in particular to be a "Target." Queensland Health (and the public sector in general), targets just because it can. And like any bully, the only thing it responds to is someone standing up to them, and showing them they can be an even bigger b*****d. It doesn't matter how compliant, how good, and/or how quiet staff try to be (to protect themselves), they're still not safe.

I've been for coffee (a couple of times), with Susan Moriarty (solicitor and industrial law specialist), and the impression I have about the systemic corruption, dishonesty and horrifying viciousness within Queensland Health (and the public sector generally), just about makes my hair stand on end. Often, staff think it's their fault, in that if they'd done something differently, or maybe acted in another way, it wouldn't have happened to them - and they're a complete, quivering mess. But they're all just heads of corn, cut down by the same undiscriminating scythe. It's not personal, it's just one extremely vicious and completely dysfunctional system. It's also very scary for people to realise that's the kind of place they exist within, as you generally assume other people will treat you decently if you do the right thing. It's a bit like suddenly realising "Mummy" and "Daddy" are actually complete and utter monsters. In my own case, the unravelling of my "Normal" expectations was a very rocky, and quite eye popping journey - but now, there's no going back, as (to steal the words of Anastacia), I've Paid my Dues . . .

So the point is, my approach doesn't make people less safe, it protects them. The hereto un-touchable emperor is on notice, and just like any creature that thrives in the dark, it can't stand the light of day - and crawls away as fast as it can can from the smallest sliver of sunlight . . .

Qld Health, slammed on You Tube?

To-day, I spent a couple of hours over coffee with Brisbane solicitor and industrial law specialist Susan Moriarty. It was just general catch-up and social occasion, not a professional one. Susan represented me when I went through a very rough time at work (some rather nasty, vicious and provably false accusations were laid at my doorstep). We won. Handsomely. The new extension has doubled our floor space, though I'm not sure it will ever compensate for 2 years of unnecessary hell.

Anyway, Susan is the penultimate professional, never one to break a confidence, or divulge the slightest detail about her clients - however, her over-arching concerns about the gross mis-management of our tax-payer dollars in the Queensland Public Service made my hair stand on end. In fact, at one point, Susan paused and looked me, "Kim," she said, "your mouth is hanging open." It was.

The Queensland Government is regularly spending 6-figure sums on pursuing the most low-level employees, over the most trivial issues, and then (if they can get away with it), sticking the hapless individual with the bill. Of course, very often the ruse back fires, and we the tax payer cough up, either because the Queensland Government loses, or the hapless employee is broke. I wonder how many special care baby cribs, or open heart surgeries, this wilful and disgusting waste of money would buy?

From what I could make out, there are no checks and balances. HRM officers have open slather, and our open tax-payer cheque book, to spend (at will), on bloated legal fees. As for the employees on the other end of these expensive (and tax-payer funded), witch hunts, well, let's just say if the Queensland Government took a hammer to their head, it would be quicker (and more honest). Quite honestly, I got the impression Susan's finding it more and more difficult to witness this every day. And from what I gathered (correct me if I'm wrong Susan, this is just my personal impression), there's routine violation of what most people see as their most basic civil rights, once the Queensland Government targets them.

"Well," I finally said, "I do have a digital DVD recorder, quite a good one. Have you ever thought about You Tube?" Susan looked at me with increasing interest. I continued, "You probably know a competent journalist or two, you know, someone who could conduct a decent interview . . . " So, in that very simple way, a grand new project was born. Susan Moriarty, coming to a small screen near you sometime soon - and I guess (then), a great many more Queenslanders will be left with their mouths hanging open . . . And next? Maybe it's time for the "Hapless employees" on the sharp end to break the silence on You Tube too. What's to lose? Does the Queensland Government openly destroy the vocal and fearless? What do you think? And a note to finish this blog entry on? Maybe one of John Farnham's most famous songs . . . We're not going to sit in silence, we're not going to live with fear . . .

Message for Queensland Health . . .

Hi Queensland Health, here's a message for you . . . and here's another one . . .

Qld nurses, punching bags?

To the HRM manager who sits behind his large desk, in a comfortable chair, and is never, ever, called to protect himself and/or others from violent patients - please get off your rear and DO something when I tell you I am unsafe at work . . . and why am I unsafe? Because a Registered Nurse in my work place (psychiatric unit), was immediately suspended (no nurse manager spoke to them first), after it was alleged they assaulted a patient in the process of restraining a large, habitually violent and aggressive male who had thumped them (and others), several times. Not only that, nearly 7 weeks later, this nurse has yet to receive a single signed/dated witness statement. So, what's the predictable result? Virtually all of the nurses in my work place have lost confidence in handling violent patients, for fear they will be treated/accused in the same way. Nobody is willing (currently), to use approved restraint techniques, or even rest a finger on a patient, because they could be next.

But guess what? My HRM department is REFUSING to conduct an independent and confidential staff survey on this matter, one that will ask what management needs to do (and what management needs to put in place), in order to restore confidence - and then act on the published results.

And a further reason for such an independent and confidential survey? To protect staff from management retribution, and I write as nurse who has recently been threatened with the Code of Conduct (and harassed/bullied), in the same work place, for voicing legitimate safety concerns.

And if anyone (patient or staff), gets seriously injured while this impasse continues, Queensland Health will be very publicly in the dock (yet again) . . .

Natural justice for Qld nurses?

When I asked a senior Queensland Health Manager why a nurse accused of assaulting a patient (and immediately suspended as a result), has still not received (nearly 7 weeks later), any signed/dated witness statements, they wrote to me and suggested I should "Meet" them to discuss the issues, because I obviously didn't understand how Queensland Health handles serious complaints . . . Thanks for the offer, but could I suggest something simpler? Why not write to me (formally), and explain why this state of affairs is (apparently), acceptable and normal within Queensland Health? Then (without releasing any identifying details), I can post it to my blog so the rest of Queensland (and Queensland nurses), can "Understand" too . . .

Nurse fails to document alleged assault?

Further retort to a senior HRM manager who has refused to investigate an apparent serious lack of legally required nursing documentation . . .

A nurse in charge of their shift recently reported another nurse for (allegedly), assaulting a patient - but from all obvious appearances, completely failed to document the alleged assault in the patient's medical chart. However, the senior HRM manager who has been asked to investigate this (apparently), serious failure to provide a legally required record, has refused to do so - and has referred the complainant back to the same nurse managers who supervised and enabled the ommission in the first place.

In a nutshell, if a nurse witnesses another nurse assaulting a patient, they have a legal duty to document their observations in the patient's medical chart. This is for the protection of the patient, the protection of the nurse witnessing the alleged assault, and the the protection of the accused nurse. It provides formal and indelible evidence, to which all parties can refer.

If I (or any other nurse), are ever accused of assaulting a patient by the nurse in charge of the shift (or by any other nurse colleague on shift for that matter), I would insist they formally document their recollection of events in the patient's medical chart there and then. That documentation can then (transparently), be compared to a doctor's timely physical examination, and remains a part of the public record for any and all further court proceedings.

Further, here are the Queensland Nursing Council standards for nurse documentation:

http://www.qnc.qld.gov.au/upload/pdfs/information_sheets/Scope_of_practice_framework_2005_Framework_/Framework_information_sheet_03_Professional_documentation_standards.pdf

So, HRM manager, please get back to me by the end of the week to tell me if you are willing (or otherwise), to formally investigate this matter. If not, I'll report it to the Queensland Nursing Council, and inform them that I reported it to you first, but that I'm passing it on to them, because you failed to act.

Qld Health Bully Central . . .

To a senior HRM officer who may need some help understanding his job . . .

I'm AGAIN formally directing/asking you to investigate the ongoing workplace harassment that is ongoing in the X Health Unit. To-day (in response my formal complaint), you bluntly refused to do that unless I divulged personal confidences.

Further, the harassment cannot be investigated by the line managers you've named/suggested in your letter, because it's under these people that the current pathological culture has flourished. For these reasons, I am going directly to you. If there's anything about that frank message you don't understand, please contact me ASAP.

I've already formally notified you of the abuse/harrassment I've personally suffered from one of the managers you STILL suggest I go to (a complaint to which I've had zero response), but I'm not at liberty to divulge the painfully personal stories (several of them), that have been relayed to me in confidence. It's your job to actively seek that information. So do your job, and if you have any doubt about what that is, here's some official guidelines:

Prevention of Work Place Harassment Code of Practise 2004, Work Place Health & Safety Queensland, Department of Justice and Attorney General

http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/resources/pdfs/harassment_code2004.pdf

Please pay particular note to page 9 (section 6), of that document, where managers are directed to carry out anonymous surveys to actively assess the risk. I've already asked you to do that, but you've ignored me. So, why did you ignore a suggestion from me that is already contained in the Code of Practise you supposedly work under?

I expect to get your formal response on your willingness (or otherwise), to carry out an anonymous survey re work place bullying and harassment in the X Health Unit by the end of this week - and I would also (now), expect this survey to be carried out by independent, outside investigators.

Regards . . .