Nurses sustain minor injuries after attack by patient

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) has confirmed that four nurses at Kerry General Hospital, Tralee, sustained minor injuries when they were attacked by a patient.

The incident was dealt with by the hospital’s night superintendent, staff nurses and hospital security, the HSE said.

All the nurses involved have recovered from their injuries and did not require sick leave from work.

It is understood a patient in one of the medical wards became violent because of a medical condition.

Kerry General Hospital manager Margie Lynch said training for all front-line staff in critical preventative incident training was ongoing with the next round of training scheduled for a fortnight’s time.

Last October, the HSE said a major increase in reported assaults on staff at Kerry General Hospital was due to more workers coming forward to make complaints.

Meanwhile, staff members at Kerry General Hospital are planning a 10,000ft parachute jump to raise funds for patient care at the hospital’s cancer-treatment unit.

Some nurses and porters will make the jump over Kerry Airport and the event will be part of a fundraising programme that will also include a sponsored race at the Kingdom Greyhound Stadium.

All money raised will go towards the needs of patients, including the purchase of professional hair pieces and funds for taxi fares for patients who do not have their own transport.

Also, the HSE has confirmed that an accommodation centre for asylum seekers in Killarney has been temporarily closed to new arrivals because of a chicken pox outbreak.

Atlas House currently has 34 residents, made up of families.

The HSE said chicken pox was of significance only to pregnant women, new-born babies and people with debilitating diseases.

“The centre is closed to new arrivals for 28 days to minimise the risk to any new arrivals,” according to the HSE.