Written by Margot Desmas et Ingrid Pernet-Duparc
Alexandre De Oliveira, nurse responsible for emergencies at the Pays de Savoie Private Hospital, is one of the victims of the attack which occurred on January 8. He returns to this violent fight which left around ten nursing staff injured.
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In a white coat in front of the emergency office, Alexandre De Oliveira still wears a bandage on his right wrist. The after-effects of the attack which occurred on Wednesday January 8 at the Pays de Savoie Private Hospital (HPPS) in Annemasse, in Haute-Savoie. Fourteen emergency department caregivers were involved to varying degrees, including seven physically injured who were subject to ITT for 7 to 15 days.
“I am only the visible face of the physical attacks. Everyone is affected and it is extremely complicated for us at the moment”assures the nurse responsible for emergencies at HPPS. His memories of the attack remain vague as the situation escalated so suddenly, while the emergency team was celebrating Christmas that evening.
In an instant, one of the patients “became physically violent, the discourse was completely closed off and the violence took over”he remembers. Alexandre De Oliveira then tried to lead him outside the secure emergency area in order to bring the healthcare team and other patients to safety. But one of the attackers attacked a nurse in the department.
In the heat of the moment, when separating the patient’s companion from my colleague, I found myself in the middle of it all. Then I was thrown to the ground and beaten.
Alexandre De Oliveira, nurse responsible for emergencies at HPPS
“It took a completely disproportionate turn with the patient and his companion coming to blows”he recalls. “In the heat of the moment, when separating the patient’s companion from my colleague, I found myself in the middle of it all. Then I was thrown to the ground, severely beaten”says the caregiver, victim of trauma to the wrist and multiple bruises, particularly to one eye.
The patient was classified in category 3 by the emergency team, requiring treatment within 15 minutes. “We were perfectly on time and the care of this patient was optimal”assures Alexandre De Oliveira. The suspects, two brothers aged around 30, fled in a car after the attack. They were arrested Thursday at noon and taken into police custody.
“We have always been confronted with violence, at least verbal, and the entire emergency team knows how to manage it on a daily basis. We have to know how to explain to the patient why he is waiting and why one person comes before another. It’s something of teaching that the team does extremely well and which eases tensions in 95 % of cases. Physical violence remains rare.”he emphasizes.
The nurse suffered multiple bruises and trauma to his wrist after the attack he suffered in the HPPS emergency room.
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© France 3 Alpes
The Minister of Health Yannick Neuder visited the Pays de Savoie private hospital this Saturday and then the Alpes-Léman Hospital Center, while hospitals in Haute-Savoie are facing a dark series of attacks.
“We cannot have a health system that does not take care of its caregivers and that does not protect its caregivers”declared Mr. Neuder, showing his desire that victims of assault can file a complaint “in the form of anonymity”on behalf of their healthcare establishment, in order to avoid “that there be reprisals against the caregivers themselves, their families, their children, their parents.”
