Dear editor.

I’m a long term care aid in our small community for almost ten years now. I was recently assaulted at work on July 17 2015.

I’m hoping that people will read this and try to get a better understanding of the threat of violence to care staff on a daily basis. I was kicked and then punched in the face, and verbally abused as well. This is a cry for help within our medical system, I was assaulted where I work – then had to sit in emergency for over three hours along with people that had arrived hours before myself.

I’m at a loss for words and wonder how Interior Health can sit back and watch their employees suffer.

There needs to be a safe work place for all to go to, and in my eyes health care workers put themselves at risk daily. I feel that if I was a doctor or a nurse I would have been heard by now, but nope  – swept under the rug again. Yes I’m aware of the risk in my profession as are we all, but I assure you in my job description I am not a punching bag or a person waiting to be screamed at or kicked or spit on I’m a human being doing the best I can with the options available. This I feel is so far gone in health care and no one wants to stand up and say enough of the bull shit people are getting hurt and hurt bad. My bruises are gone away and the swelling gone down in my face.

BUT.

The emotional upset is still fresh in my mind every day. We are not being heard and no body wants to get involved I also feel other patients and their family need to know that their loved ones are also subjected to this kind of outrage. If we all sit back in silence that makes us as guilty as the rest This needs to stop. The employees need to feel safe in their place of employment The same as we are obligated to provide to patients. Safety respect dignity and for gods sake compassion This is a crime in my eyes The person who did this to me may not be aware or remember this incident. But I do every minutes of every day every night when I can’t close my eyes or when I can’t eat because it makes me sick to my stomach. I’m only one of hundreds that this and will happen to. So please remember that the person who looks after your loved ones is doing their job to the best of their ability.

So tell me who protects the worker. Let me guess no one does.

Chris Evans