Annalise, a nurse with nearly 30 years of experience in Queensland, has endured being punched, kicked, spat on, and even bitten on the face by a patient. When she reported the biting incident to her manager, she was told to "stick an alco wipe on it" and continue working. She described the patient as having "a mouthful of rotten teeth and horrible oral hygiene," yet said, "But we just buckle up, we just get on with it, and we go back to work because that's what we signed up for."

The Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union has declared the rate of workplace violence an "absolute emergency." Their recent survey of 8,754 respondents found that about 80 percent had experienced some form of workplace violence in the past year. Nearly 2,000 respondents reported physical attacks, while others faced verbal, psychosocial, racial, and sexual assaults.

In response, the ambassador program was introduced as a trial at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital in late 2020 under the Labor government. This program stations individuals trained in de-escalation techniques at high-stress areas such as emergency departments to manage incidents involving patients.

A spokesperson noted that there are now 104 healthcare ambassadors deployed across more than 70 clinical areas in Queensland. Additionally, the Crisafulli government has invested $8.7 million in new security enhancements since taking office.

The situation reflects a long-standing issue, with data from ten years ago already indicating occupational violence as a concern. ABC News correspondent Jack McKay highlighted a "level of normalisation about assaults on healthcare staff," underscoring the urgent need for continued attention and action.

Sources