Psych Observer – Exposing Bad Psychiatry

Psychiatric hospital workers who appear to be impaired should be subject to on-the-spot drug testing.

The problems that have beset Ancora Psychiatric Hospital in Winslow in recent years have made it clear that major changes are needed at the facility. In December, the director of the facility was ousted and replaced following another patient escape.

While the leadership change was needed, it’s going to take more than that to stop the escapes and patient deaths that have plagued Ancora.

Bills that would require drug testing and training for staff, and public disclosure of patient deaths and assaults at state psychiatric hospitals were unanimously approved last week by the state Assembly Human Services Committee.

As a taxpayer-funded facility, the disclosure of patient deaths and assaults is a no-brainer. The public has every right to know when such crimes happen at Ancora.

As for required drug testing, we believe a supervisor should be able to order an employee to take a drug test if that employee appears to be impaired.

Following objections from union leader Sherryl A. Gordon, who represents more than 400 orderlies and other employees at Ancora, committee chairwoman Assemblywoman Sheila Y. Oliver, D-Essex, agreed to remove these supervisor-ordered drug tests from the bill.

We believe such drug tests should be part of the legislation. Oliver argued that it violates employees’ rights to force them to take a drug test, but we disagree. A psychiatric hospital where there are dangerous killers and patients whose mood and actions can dramatically change in an instant is no place to tolerate workers who are drunk or high. An impaired orderly, nurse, guard or doctor on the job opens the door to assaults on other patients and staff and to escapes, which puts the surrounding community at risk.

Gordon and union members no doubt worry that allowing immediate drug tests could lead to retribution among workers — one worker who doesn’t like another worker and reports that person to the boss as being impaired.

While there’s always that possibility, we think the benefit of weeding out employees who come to work drunk and/or use illegal drugs outweighs the potential for employees to report each other out of spite.

Assemblyman Lou Greenwald, D-Camden, the sponsor of this bill, said he’ll fight to return these drug tests to the bill before a full Assembly vote. He ought to. Six patient deaths in the last two years have led to disciplinary action against more than two dozen Ancora employees. There have also been two high profile escapes at the hospital over the last year and a half.

Bottom line, employees cannot work in that dangerous environment while impaired. Those who attempt to do so need to be caught and fired. Any employee who appears impaired should be subject to an immediate drug test.

URL: http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080619/OPINION/806190330/1046