Violent patient attacks against employees are common at San Francisco General Hospital's emergency department in part due to understaffing, current and former nurses told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Chronicle reporters interviewed more than a dozen nurses for the report, some of whom wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation. The nurses said chronic understaffing is common at the public hospital, which in recent years has cared for an increasing number of patients who are homeless, are illicit drug users or have mental health issues.
"We can't say no [to these patients]," Christa Duran, an emergency room nurse at the hospital, told the Chronicle. "We are put into a position where we are outnumbered."
The nurses claim that a packed ER — combined with short staffing — often forces nurses to care for several high-need patients at once or work overtime. This leads to inadequate care and workplace violence incidents, they said.
"I'm overwhelmed by the safety concerns when I go to work," said Jen Ford, a per-diem nurse at the hospital. "You just put your head down and do the best you can."
At present, the hospital is seeking to fill 75 nurse vacancies, 14 of which are in the emergency room.
"We are aware we are not fully staffed at all times and are taking all steps possible to hire in a timely fashion," Brent Andrew, spokesperson for San Francisco General, told the Chronicle.
The hospital also created a workplace violence committee in November 2019 to promote preventive strategies and de-escalation techniques.
To view the full report, click here.