SEXUAL harassment of nurses by patients is being laughed off
as an “occupational hazard” by hospital bosses, a conference heard.
Staff say they have been threatened with rape, told their
breasts would look better in a dress and followed to their cars, only for NHS
managers to dismiss their complaints.
Speaking at the Royal College of Nursing annual congressin
Liverpool, they claim the Carry On “sexy nurse” stereotype still persists and
meant people felt they could get away with inappropriate comments or touching.
Nikki Williams, from North West London, said she was
threatened with rape by a patient who said he would be waiting outside when she
finished work.
She said: “I called the police – nothing happened. I can’t
remember exactly what [my] department said when I called them but it was
implied that I should expect that type of comment from people, working in the
area that I do.”
While most NHS Trusts have policies on dealing with sexual
harassment allegations between staff members, many have no such rules when it
comes to patients or their families.
Zeba Arif, a nurse from London, said: “All too often
harassment by patients is brushed aside as a misunderstanding.
“A lot of nurses are too embarrassed to even speak up about
this. They are scared to say anything in case the employer says: ‘Oh but you
led him on’ or ‘He fancies you’.”
She said a former colleague at a mental health trust was
told to by bosses to “grow up” when she raised concerns about a patient’s
sexualised comments.
Ms Arif added: “One day the patient follows her to her car
and pins her on the bonnet. She manages to break free.
“But she is horrified to discover the Trust has no policy
covering this scenario – in fact the response was to almost blame the victim
and deny her experience.”
Managers “actively prevented” the nurse from going to the
police, as it would “bring the Trust into disrepute”.
Danielle Tiplady, a nurse from North East London, said:
“There are countless examples of nurses who were sexually harassed in the
workplace and yet were left completely unsupported, ridiculed, humiliated,
ignored, embarrassed, alone.
“One nurse told their manager about an incident to be told:
‘Oh maybe he fancies you’, and they laughed and walked away.”
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