Source: Radio New Zealand
Data shows attacks more than double in some regions between 2022-25. 123rf
A nurse who was stabbed, burned and held captive by a patient in respite care says the effect on their life was “catastrophic”.
Their experience is one of two detailed in a new report, published in the NZ Medical Journal, called ‘Reluctant victims: healthcare workers and workplace violence’, authored by registered nurse Wendy Strawbridge, victims advocate Ruth Money and psychiatrist Lillian Ng.
The report says, while non-physical violence is much more common, physical violence has had a steeper incline, rising significantly in the past three decades.
The most at-risk services are emergency departments, mental health units, drug and alcohol clinics, those in remote locations and ambulances.
Underlying factors include delays in care, frustration with long waits leading to emotional escalation, understaffing, emotional or mental stress of patients or visitors, and insufficient security.
Meanwhile, Te Whatu Ora/Health New Zealand data shows assaults on public sector staff in some regions have more than doubled from 2022-25.
The data, which reflects all HNZ staff, not just those in hospitals, shows total assaults rose from 342 in 2022 to 925 in 2025 in the central region.
In the northern region, that number increased from 668 to 2928, although a reporting difference in this region’s emergency department, allowing multiple staff to log one incident, could account for some of that increase.
In the midland region, it rose from 335 to 1019 and, in the South Island, from 1483 to 2712. These figures are total numbers, not accounting for population growth.
Nurse ‘attacked and held captive for 30 minutes’
The first case study is a registered nurse, who the report does not name, working in the community. During a visit to a patient in respite care, they were attacked and held captive for 30 minutes, before escaping.
“I survived because I was fit, and used the skills I learned in calming and restraint training,” they said.
They were left badly injured, with facial fractures and stab wounds to their face, neck and back, and burns to 30 percent of their body.
In the aftermath, they said navigating the criminal justice system added another layer of distress.
In order to access more psychological support, they accepted a diagnosis of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), but then found that limited their work options, income protection and travel insurance.
“Before the attack, I worked full-time, I loved my role and was regarded as competent and innovative. The aftermath of the attempt on my life was catastrophic.”
They returned to work part-time 10 weeks after the incident, despite ongoing recovery and pain.
“However, my rehabilitation case manager told me reduced hours ‘can’t go on forever’. She admitted she had not taken the time to read my notes and understand what had happened to me, citing workload pressures.
“Support from the acting manager of my workplace was limited, which compounded the sense of not being heard, invisibility and disempowerrment during an already traumatic time.”
While the return of their usual manager resulted in some “real support and action”, and a workplace transfer, eventually they decided a highly stressful job wasn’t worth the toll and resigned.
The incident contributed to the breakdown of their 25-year marriage, the loss of their job and home, and “most painfully”, their sense of self.
“I went from being a respected colleague and clinician to being defined as a victim.”
In a new job as a mental health promoter for a non-government organisation, they were significantly affected by the return of their attacker to their vicinity as a patient.
“I became seriously concerned for my safety and wellbeing, and that of secondary victims,” they said. “My request for a restorative justice meeting was never progressed and my concerns were often met with platitudes – ‘no system is perfect’ – exemplifying systemic complacency.”
The attacker eventually died in care.
Psychiatrist attacked, while assessing young woman in prison
The second case study is a psychiatrist, who – while assessing a young psychiatric patient in the intensive care unit at a women’s prison – was attacked over the table in an interview room.
A nurse, a student and three corrections officers were also present.
“The patient walked calmly into the room and sat across a desk opposite us. Suddenly, she lunged across the desk.
“Her fist contacted my head before she was restrained by the custodial staff. I did not lose consciousness nor was I severely injured.
“This was my first and only incident of violence.”
They continued working after the incident, and later learned the patient was transferred to a medium-secure psychiatric unit and assaulted staff there. No charges were laid.
Eventually, they made an insurance claim for concussion.
“In retrospect, my initial reluctance to take action was to minimise the incident; after all, I wasn’t severely injured and the patient received treatment. I did not wish to waste my or anyone else’s time or energy, and I did not view myself as a victim.”
The assault led to some reflection.
“In retrospect, I should have left the workplace immediately and sent my affected team members home. My questions: How do we model self-care?
“How many of my colleagues had sustained injuries and not sought care for themselves?”
The interview room, which had a blind corner, ceased to be used to see patients and construction for a new interview room was later approved.
Recommendations
Ruth Money, one of the paper’s authors and chief victims adviser to the government, said violence was likely under-reported across the health system.
“There’s almost this acceptance for healthcare workers to put up with a level of violence that might not be accepted in other places,” she said.
Victims needed to be encouraged to disclose violence, but the system needed to be equipped to support them.
“It will help stop that behaviour and, you know, help the next person,” she said. “The system around the data collection needs to be a lot more detailed to be able to educate, and make some good processes and policies moving forward.”
Money said she had been overwhelmed with people getting in touch, since the paper’s publication, to thank the authors for shining a light on an experience similar to their own.
The report finds that, often, the onus is on the healthcare worker to be proactive and follow-up when assaults happen.
“These experiences illustrate gaps in system care of staff after violence in a healthcare setting,” it says.
It makes three key recommendations:
- A nationwide unified approach to collecting, analysing and reporting data on workplace violence across the health sector to assist with sharing information on findings
- Commission research on the consequences of workplace violence, particularly psychosocial impacts, to better understand effects on productivity, retention, burnout and culture
- Strengthen health and safety legislation to assist with clarifying responsibilities of individuals and organisations in identifying and managing risks, and monitoring violence
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand