After years of campaigning, nurses, midwives, and other staff at the Port Lincoln Hospital will receive extra support when security guards are introduced at the facility in early October.
The decision comes after an increase in code black incidents at the hospital over the past two years.
In March, nurses and midwives gathered on the Port Lincoln foreshore to silently protest and join in solidarity with colleagues who had been physically or verbally abused at the hospital.
Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery at the Eyre and Far North Local Health Network, Julie Marron, said the intention was for security guards to be onsite 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"The wellbeing of staff is our absolute top priority and this will go a long way to helping them feel safer and their overall wellbeing, so we're really excited about it," Ms Marron said.
"We've had some time to plan all the other initiatives and try to evaluate their effectiveness and this just seems the next sensible step to improve their safety and wellbeing."
'Unacceptable' incidents
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Foundation SA branch chief executive Elizabeth Dabars said health professionals from the Eyre Peninsula had been campaigning for the introduction of security guards at the Port Lincoln Hospital for more than two years.
She said during this time there had been an increase in incidents.
"What has been occurring for nurses and midwives in this hospital has been completely unacceptable," Ms Dabars said.
"We're absolutely proud that they've stood up against these wrong actions.
"We are very pleased that the local health network has made the decision."
Ms Dabars said it had been a hard slog to get to this point, but staff were pleased action was taking place.
Minister for Health and Wellbeing Chris Picton said discussions were being held with security contractors to make sure they were in place as soon as possible.'
"We take the security of nurses and staff seriously and are pleased to be delivering on this safety upgrade in close consultation with nurses and other staff," Minister Picton said.
"Nurses and other staff who go there [to the hospital] deserve to be safe when they're caring for people, [they] shouldn't be facing those sorts of risks."
Member for Flinders Sam Telfer was a strong advocate for security guards at the hospital, despite the inaction of the previous government.
He said he felt relieved by increased security measures.
