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About The OSEA news. (Salem, Oregon) 1970-1981 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 10, 1978)
Page 14 The OSEA News August 10,1978 Grievance adds staff to dangerous Ward 84 SALEM - At Oregon State Hospital “Ward 84 is the end of the line,” according to psychiatric security aide and OSE A Job Representative Fred Martin. Ward 84 is one of seven wards which constitute the Psychiatric Security Unit at the hospital; it is the maximum security men’s ward. It also is the admitting ward for all male patients sent to the security unit of the hospital. All of this responsibility means potentially grave danger to the psychiatric security aides who worked in the ward. While the minimum staffing for the ward was supposed to be three, Martin said that often there were fewer than that when aides were called to duties in other parts of the hospital. Martin got the unamous support of the 16 psychiatric security aides in the ward to file a grievance in mid-June to demand minimum staffing of four on the ward during the day and swing shifts. The grievance noted oother problems which increased the danger to the psych security aides on the ward. One of the three aides on the ward was “in charge of being responsible for manning the office, leaving only two PSAs to supervise ap proximately 30 patients. One of the two PSAs working the ward area is also responsible for the only key to admit any available help ( in the event of an in cident) from outside the ward. This is a potentially dangerous situation. A second key can be obtained, but there is a time factor involved, again causing a potentially . dangerous situation.” The grievance goes on to outline the dangers in the event of a fight or an incident: “The charge aide must leave the office to assist the other two aides, again creating a potentially dangerous situation for the following reasons: • “Three aides are not enough to break up a fight in volving two or more patients: • “Three aides are not suf ficient to safely handle a psychotic patient who has at tacked either staff or another patient; ® “No one is in the office to answer the phone or to call for help if the situation deteriorates; • “No one is available to open the door to admit help from the other wards; • “No one is watching the other patients.” The grievance was filed under Article 13 (Safety and Health) of the state central agreement. The grievance first went to There are several fights a week on the ward, Martin said. Patients will attack staff and other patients. And because Ward 84 is also the admitting ward for the unit, there is no history on the new patients to tell what kind of shape they are in or to warn about individual traits, the one and a half-year veteran said. All the same, even before the grievance was resolved, the psychiatric security aides on that ward regard themselves as something of the “creme de la creme.” Only one of the 16 PSAs on the ward has been there less than a year; many, including Martin, are college graduates. Other factors work to make the morale of the PSAs on Ward 84 high compared with psychiatric aides elsewhere. And because they don’t have the turnover, Ward 84 PSAs support one another very well and have a kind of a “sixth sense” so they “can tell when something is building and start moving” to prevent it, Martin said. “The handling of this grievance,” said OSE A Employe Representative Ken Allen, “is an example of the best of what our job representatives can do. Martin and the other PSAs on the ward did the whole thing by them selves.” Newport's Newest Ocean Front Motel ALL UNITS: Martin organized it. the executive committee of the Psychiatric Security Section. At that meeting, several alter natives were suggested in cluding not pulling aides off the ward for other activities. However, according to the minutes, “The Executive Committee was in agreement that this ward should have four psychiatric aides at a minimum during day and swing shift to prevent staff injuries.” Another meeting was arranged between Martin, OSH superintendent Dean Brooks, unit clinical director Prasanna Pati and others. The three main resolutions of the grievance were that staffing on day and swing shifts would be increased to four; that security aides will not be pulled from the ward for other duties, and that four will not be con strued as a maximum. Seven other resolutions were added to make working in the ward safer, to help insure that adequate staff would be available and that help could becalled as needed. Though the grievance was resolved rather quickly (11 days for a matter this important), Martin said management put a tremendous amount of pressure on him. They would say such things as: “If you’re unhappy, I’ll transfer you to another ward” or “Tell us what you would o if you were in charge.” He also notes that while four is not to be considered a ITEMIZER-OBSERVER 147 S.E. Court Dallas, OR 97338 Books — Catalogs Stationery “A complete printing and bindery shop equipped to handle all your needs. ” Call... 623-2373 maximum, there never have been more than that number working. Whenever a fifth is scheduled, he ends up working some place else. The danger of Ward 84 is not to be sniffed at. “We have several mass murderers and some people who have killed prison guards,” Martin said. “If they can’t be handled any place else, we get them. When there were only two people, that left you very vulnerable.” Ocean Front Queen Size Beds Easy Beach Access Color TV SOME KITCHENS & FIREPLACES Write or call: Windjammer Motel 744 S.W. 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