Don Hadland ER, St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital

“I’m a Nurse in the Emergency Department at Dignity’s St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital. I’ve been here for a long time, since 1999. I stick with it because I love being a Nurse. I’ve seen a lot of things in the ER, but sadly, things have never been worse at my hospital. Even as Dignity’s revenues soar, they cut corners and pull the rug from under Nurses, so we can’t give the care our patients deserve.

Hospitals need to be safe, secure places. Workplace violence is a serious problem in Nursing, and not enough people talk about it. I shudder to think about what kind of tragedy will need to take place to make Dignity care… but then it will be too late.

I speak from experience. I was kicked in the head while trying to restrain a violent patient. When that happens, it isn’t that patient’s fault. It’s Dignity’s fault. In my situation, there weren’t enough Nurses on duty to hold our patient in a safe, secure way. Those that were there didn’t have the proper training. And security was nowhere to be found.”