Year: 2007
Location: Edmonton
Profile: Sister Theresa Horvath took the lead in organizing a UNA local at Extended Care Holyrood in Edmonton and then Extended Care Leduc as well as playing a role in organizing Extended Care Mayerthorpe. She spent much of her nursing career at Extended Care Holyrood though she also spent two years as a nurse in Saskatoon after her first five years of nursing in Edmonton. Horvath battled management for proper security for her patients, many of whom suffered from dementia or from other mental health issues. Lack of security resulted in patients wandering off or being the victims of patient-on-patient physical or sexual abuse. She also worked with the union to deal with physical safety for the staff in extended care facilities and to have injuries that they received in the course of fulfilling their duties recognized as work injuries. UNA organized workshops on the issue of dealing with aggressive patients. Horvath twice endured physical assaults from patients. She also developed back problems from lifting patients that made her decide to retire at age 65.
Keywords: Back injuries from lifting patients; Extended care; Physical abuse of staff in extended care facilities; Security for extended care patients.
See also: Occupational Health and Safety in Alberta; United Nurses of Alberta; Women and Work in Alberta