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Nurse Stabbed to Death; Bill Introduced to Protect Workers
Keith Leslie, The Canadian Press
April 23, 2009
TORONTO – More than three years after Windsor, Ont., nurse Lori Dupont was stabbed to death by her former boyfriend while at work, the Ontario government introduced legislation Monday that it said would better protect workers.
While nurses applauded the bill for bringing attention to the issue, the New Democrats complained the government failed to provide workers with all the protections it could have because the legislation deals mainly with violence at work, not harassment. Dupont was killed in November 2005 while on duty at Windsor’s Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital by anesthesiologist Marc Daniel, who worked at the same hospital. He later injected himself with a fatal dose of anesthetic and died days later.
The bill would force employers to prepare policies on workplace violence and harassment, and require them to take “reasonable precautions” to protect employees from domestic violence that may occur at work, said Labour Minister Peter Fonseca.
“Our obligation is to deal with workplace violence, not just from another worker, but from anyone who enters the workplace,” Fonseca told the legislature.
The Registered Nurses Association of Ontario called the bill “great progress in the right direction.” It formally acknowledges a problem so prevalent that many, if not most, nurses consider aggression and violence to be a part of the job, said executive director Doris Grinspun.
“This has been kind of in the closet,” Grinspun said about the amount of violence nurses face on a regular basis.
The association also wants changes to the “power differentials” in hospitals by including all health-care professionals on advisory committees, not just doctors, said Grinspun.
Tolulope
about 4 years ago
186 comments
things will surely get better owing to the thread of things and it's great to note that the new legislation spelt out the penalties to erring employers.
I know definitely that more protection law will come up.
rnmrw1
about 4 years ago
2 comments
It's sad to hear that all of this could have been avoided if warning signs were noticed and counseling could have taken place for both of them. My prayers goes out to the families.
Victoria_simon
about 4 years ago
704 comments
Wow, what a waste of good life. Both families must be devastated. I believe nurses definitely need more protection on the job.
kjagnew1
about 4 years ago
134 comments
This is a shame! A person cant even work without being harrassed by some sick sadistic person! Its sooooo important to be careful who you date. I mean sometimes you never really know, and all you can do is hope for the best. A few helpful points, never date a person you work with, dont allow significant others to the work place and be mindful of what you say especially when you first meet...this is speaking from experience.
deannedawn75
about 4 years ago
10 comments
Wow that is a scary thought that while you are hard at work providing care to those in need, and that could happen . Who is watching the backs of us nurse?
anonymous37
about 4 years ago
5258 comments
Wow, that's scary! I sincerely believe it's true that the opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. Love and hate are closely intertwined and that's why emotions run high in some relationships. When the boyfriend Daniel tried to take his own life, that was a big red flag. It's surprising that atrocious things like this happen. Makes me mourn for the family of the victims. It's sad that such violence is a catalyst for changing laws but need is the mother of inventions, as I say it pertains to making needed laws....
Account Removed
about 4 years ago
Canada isn't the only place that violence occurs. In the US it occurs in hospitals on a regular basis, and even when reported is covered up. It's easier to get rid of the nurse, than to deal with lawsuits.
Yes, the patients rights should be respected and protected, but what about the personnel that care for them?
I've been bit, hit, punched and knocked out by adult patients over the years (all unprovoked), and sexually harrased by staff. Unless it's a fatal injury, forget it, no one cares.
My husband, who is an ER nurse has also been attacked several times by patients.
I understand that no one likes "Big Brother" and all of us deserve privacy, but safe guards (be it cameras or whatever) should be put in place, to protect everyone, (Patients and Staff).
TsalagiTsagi
about 4 years ago
8 comments
Of course it could happen again. No government , police department or civillian can predict the workings of deranged minds. For every safety net put into place there will be ways to evade it to finalize the acts they wish to inflict. If there are armed security guards that are in plain sight they will work out ways to overpower, distract or bypass them.
Armed guards viewing the area both in, and some out of sight perhaps on monitors, will make it more difficult. Nothing will render it impossible. When one awakens each day there is no way to predict how the day will end.
Unbalanced people do injury, maim and kill others. Evil does exist.
The anger, rage, rejections, and hopelessness of their world erodes the sanity of some and they then strike out against that which they want but cannot have, against their delusions, or against society itself.
We must appreciate each moment we are granted and be prepared for the unthinkable.
Trust your instincts. Look at each instance and see where intervention could have helped.
If the perpetrator had gone for anger management, if he had chosen to accept the break up, if she had a way to protect herself at hand, then stack the deck in favor of theose at risk...and pray.