Tewksbury (Mass.) Hospital has partially reversed a recent ban on security tools, after a series of violent incidents and backlash from staff, unions and local authorities, The Boston Globe reported May 4.
Under the updated policy, pepper spray, handcuffs and batons will not be carried during routine patrols but may be used on campus in nonclinical areas. They remain prohibited in clinical spaces such as inpatient wards and treatment rooms, according to the report.
The restrictions were initially put in place after a September incident in which a security staffer used pepper gel on a patient, prompting a statewide review and full ban on the tools.
Hospital workers and police had criticized the earlier policy for limiting their ability to respond to violent situations. Staff were also directed not to intervene in incidents and instead call police, which drew further safety concerns. Recent incidents, including multiple assaults in April, have heightened concerns.
Since the policy took effect, four incidents involving staff have been reported. Tewksbury Police Chief Ryan Columbus raised concerns about safety risks and noted the individual involved in the latest incident had 129 entries on their criminal record. Nurses and local officials have also expressed concern about staff and patient safety.
The 169-bed facility treats many patients referred from the criminal justice system, and staff say overcrowding and a high number of forensic patients contribute to ongoing safety challenges, according to the report.
The hospital also formed a new safety committee and held its first meeting. The committee’s initial focus was to request separate units for forensic patients.
In response, a Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services spokesperson said in a statement shared with Becker’s, “The safety of patients, staff and the Tewksbury community is our top priority. We have been in ongoing discussions with town and public safety officials, Tewksbury State Hospital leaders and unions regarding security policies, including making sure that staff have an appropriate range of tools available to keep themselves and others safe. We have agreed to an approach that will involve reinstating defensive weapons for security staff in non-clinical spaces within the hospital but will continue to prohibit them from clinical spaces.”
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