She’s only been on the job for two years, but London registered nurse Lannie Seddon has already been punched in the head by a patient.

She’s one of many hospital workers who face violence and aggression at work on a regular basis — something London’s hospitals are trying to prevent and mitigate, but a reality nonetheless.

Data obtained by CBC News shows 165 Code White calls at Victoria and University hospitals in the last two years — sometimes as many as 14 times a month. A Code White is activated when someone is behaving in a ptentially dangerous manner toward themselves or others and could escalate.

“I’ve seen people being bitten, hit, swatted, punched. Lots of people getting physically hurt,” said Seddon, who works in a London hospital. CBC News has agreed not to identify her exact workplace.

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CBC News
August 8, 2023