Nurse forced to write ‘I am an idiot, I left my post’ for 500 times

* Photo: saglikpersonelihaber.net

Click to read the article in Turkish

A nurse working in the Kumluca Public Hospital in Turkey's Mediterranean province of Antalya was reportedly punished by Chief Physician Ayşegül Alkan by writing down "I am an idiot, I left my post" on a A4 paper for 500 times for having left her place of duty at the hospital.

Health and Social Service Laborers' Union (SES) Antalya Branch Co-Chair Şükran İçöz has severely criticized the incident. Underlining that they, as the union, fiercely condemn the action that complies with neither human dignity nor professional ethics, İçöz has briefly stated:

'Sanctions determined by the law'

"The sanctions to be imposed on health laborers in the event of a mistake concerning their duties have been determined by laws. Disregarding these laws, using them as a means of pressure on health laborers or constantly keeping them under pressure is inacceptable.

"Health laborers are faced with the mobbing of hospital administrations while working in difficult conditions.

"Increasing workload, constantly changing practices, unjust and irregular inspections and verbal, physical and psychological violence experienced on a daily basis undermine health laborers' motivation.

"While mobbing has been on the increase with the outbreak of the pandemic, the system is, unfortunately, a mere onlooker to these practices; supports them, albeit not openly; ignores that these practices are getting more widespread and persistent and it sometimes even rewards them.

"What happened in the Kumluca Public Hospital is just another version of the mobbing that has been taking place in our workplaces for years."

Concluding her remarks, İçöz has reiterated that they, as the union, will stand up against the practices, pressure and mobbing that disregard the labor and honor of healthcare workers. The union chair has also called on the authorities to immediately do what is necessary about the ones who disregarded the dignity of health workers.

What happened?

As reported by saglikpersonelihaber.net (health personnel news) website, a group officials from the Health Directorate went to the hospital in Kumluca district of Antalya province hit by heavy rainfall a few days ago.

Chief Physician Ayşegül Alkan could not see the nurse on duty in her post when she went there with the officials. They were told that the nurse went downstairs upon hearing that a patient had fallen.

In response to this, Chief Physician Alkan punished the nurse by forcing her to write down "I am an idiot, I left my post" on an A4 paper for 500 times. (EKN/SD)