Blackout unlocks psychiatric ward

Nurses say they struggled to prevent mentally ill patients from escaping during a power failure that crippled Shellharbour Hospital.The mental health unit’s electronic door system stopped working after a backup generator failed to automatically respond to a blackout on Sunday, May 1.Computers and monitors went blank, hallways and rooms went dark and patients were given sandwiches for dinner because the outage prevented the heating of pre-prepared frozen food.The incident was revealed in a NSW Nurses’ Association publication circulated this month.A Shellharbour Hospital spokeswoman has downplayed the blackout’s severity, stressing staff, patients and visitors were never in danger.However, the NSW Nurses’ Association Illawarra delegate, Angela Pridham, was on duty at the time and said many mentally ill patients experience an increased appetite as a result of their anti-psychotic medication."So two pieces of bread for dinner was nowhere near enough," Ms Pridham said."As a result the place was chaotic, it went mad."The staff decided to put in their own money to buy pizza for the patients, although I understand that money has now been refunded by management."Ms Pridham reported the 15 nurses on duty had to prevent some of the 65 mentally ill patients from escaping because the electronic door system had been affected.In a statement, the Shellharbour Hospital spokeswoman denied the situation posed a security risk."Nursing staff are supported by the on-site hospital manager and security officers at every shift and this was no exception during the outage," the spokeswoman said."Additional security services were provided to the unit as a precaution and staff on duty declined the offer of calling in additional nursing staff."Those on duty reported that patients in the [mental health] unit were settled and at no times were a danger to themselves, other patients or staff."The power outage was triggered by on-site construction works. The backup generator had to be manually activated but that problem has been fixed.