This was the third case of physical assault on nursing staff in this ward in six months, The Malta Independent on Sunday has learnt.
It all started when one of the people with drug problems became aggressive. The nursing staff phoned the duty doctor for advice and they were instructed to put the patient in the seclusion unit.
As the nursing officer was taking the patient to the seclusion unit, the latter punched the nursing officer.
The other nursing staff went to restrain the patient, but the other drug patients kept in the ward rushed and assaulted them.
The nursing staff suffered slight injuries but were nonetheless referred to St Luke’s Hospital by the doctor on duty at Mount Carmel.
The Malta Independent on Sunday has learnt that some of the drug patients being kept in Male Ward 1 were taken to St Luke’s Hospital on Friday suffering from an alleged drug overdose, and were taken back yesterday morning.
As a result of this incident, the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) issued a directive to its members working in Male Ward 1 not to report for duty if there are more than two drug patients in the ward.
MUMN secretary-general Colin Galea said in a statement that the union has been insisting for a long time that drug patients should not be kept with other patients in Male Ward 1.
He said this situation was proving hazardous to the health and safety of nurses besides affecting the care of the other patients who are not drug patients.
The management at Mount Carmel and the MUMN, Mr Galea said, had agreed that a new ward should be opened for people with drug problems, but the management remained “passive” and the ward was never opened.
There is now enough staff at Mount Carmel to man this new ward, Mr Galea said.