Psych. staff to get alarms

Photo: Bill Everitt

Staff at the psychiatric ward of Penticton Regional Hospital will soon be equipped with personal alarms for cases of violence.

The decision to speed up the implementation of the duress alarm system came in light of an attack in December which left a psychiatrist with a broken jaw. 

Gregory Nield is now facing charges in connection with that assault. 

Lori Motluk, acute health services administrator for Interior Health (IH), said the alarm system is a top priority for IH. 

"When the incident happened...we launched a major investigation that included front line staff, regional experts, union members and management," Motluk said in an interview Friday. "One of our top recommendations was personal duress alarms and we submitted that recommendation to WorksafeBC."

The alarms are worn by any staff member who works in or must enter the psychiatric ward of the hospital. 

If a blood technician needs to take samples from a psych patient, that person will have access to one of the alarms.

The system should be fully operational within the next six months.  

A button, on the alarm, will automatically notifies members of the 'code white team.'

That team is a group of people specifically trained on managing violent and aggressive situations. It's made up of security and other staff members who have received additional training, Motluk said. 

The project is estimated to cost about $90,000 and will be funded internally by Interior Health.

"Rather than go through the Regional Hospital District for funding, because it was identified as a priority issue, the decision was made to do it internally," said Patrick Gall, media relations for IH. "So from within the Interior Health budget and specifically from Penticton Regional Hospital budget."

PRH will join Vernon Jubilee Hospital and Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in Trail in bringing in the duress alarms. 

Kamloops Inland Hospital has plans to implement a similar system, the need for which was highlighted in a recent attack. 

"Some of this technology is still evolving. We're just really thrilled that we have the ability to have this," Motluk said. "It's now funded, were moving forward and Interior Health is really committed to the highest levels of staff and patient safety. I'm so excited." 

It was not immediately clear whether other IH psychiatric nursing facilities in Penticton, such as Braemore Lodge, would also get the alarms. 

The procurement process begins immediately.