Regular physical, verbal abuse a bitter pill for healthcare workers

Three months ago, a patient threatened to strip Ms Marisol Zabellero Villabrille, a healthcare assistant at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

- Mah Xiao Yu

She had to accompany him into the toilet as intensive care unit patients are not allowed to use the washroom by themselves. But he was uncomfortable with her presence and grew increasingly agitated.

After the patient's threat was issued, a colleague nearby intervened on her behalf and "scolded" the patient, and the hospital's security team arrived quickly to deescalate the situation by taking the patient back to his bed.

"I was so shocked," said Ms Villabrille. "I really didn't expect him to say those words to me." This was her first time experiencing such abuse since coming to Singapore from the Philippines in August 2021, and it stunned her.

The hospital's management was also alerted to the incident and the patient was given a verbal warning.

Ms Villabrille said support from her colleagues, supervisors and even the security team helped her to recover.

A 2022 survey conducted by the Ministry of Health (MOH) found that only one in four healthcare workers who experienced abuse in the 12 months preceding the survey reported the incidents.