A paramedic said there had been an increase in aggression against first-line emergency workers in Northern Ireland.
Aisling McLaren was punched in the face, attempted sexual assault and threatened by a patient who told her they would cut her throat and drink her blood, reports RTE.
Friends and colleagues required hospital treatment and had to take time off work due to the attacks, leaving the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) understaffed.
Ms McLaren described verbal abuse as a “common thing that happens all the time”, but serious assaults are becoming more common.
She said violence and assault often occur suddenly and without warning.
“We could be grand one moment, then the next the person is shouting at us, it can sometimes come out of nowhere, you’re really not expecting it,” she said, RTÉ reports.
Paramedics now have body-worn cameras and ambulances have an emergency button that transmits audio to the NIAS control room.
“I had an incident recently where I pressed the emergency button, afterwards they (the control room) told me to get a cup of tea and take a minute, I was able to continue working, but it (threat of assault) is always there in the back of your mind,” she said, reports RTE.
Ms McLaren said she still loves her job, but it can be difficult at times.
“I’ve had friends recently that have been seriously assaulted, one of them who is always at work, and they’ve now had to take time off,” she said, reports RTE.
She added: “I could never understand people throwing bricks at fire engines either, I don’t understand violence against anybody who is trying to do a job. There seems to be an increase in people with dependency issues, but I have treated people with alcohol dependency issues, but they’ve been some of the nicest people I have ever met. But I think there could be more of an anger in society at the minute, and sometimes there are people who do it (assault emergency workers) and think there will not be any consequences,” reports RTE.
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