Psychiatric patient used table leg as weapon at Aalborg hospital
Eight unions have criticised patient safety and working conditions at Aalborg University Hospital’s new psychiatric unit after a patient removed a table leg and used it as a weapon, DR reports.
The incident occurred within 24 hours of the psychiatric department’s relocation to the newly built Hospitalsbyen (Hospital City) in Aalborg, which has faced repeated issues since opening earlier this year. Staff unions warn that furniture in psychiatric wards—including unsecured chairs and tables with detachable legs—poses serious risks.
Jakob Roland Kjærsgaard, deputy trustee representative for psychiatric nurses at the hospital, confirmed the episode: “We had a patient who dismantled a dining table and used the leg as a bludgeon.” No injuries were reported, but Kjærsgaard stressed that metal table legs “could have severe consequences” if used violently.
The unions’ critique extends beyond furniture. Key concerns include:
- Operations rooms with noise levels measured at 87 decibels
- Inadequate sun shading and ventilation, with workplace temperatures reaching 27–31°C, causing staff headaches
- Faulty patient call systems, delaying emergency responses for falls or acute illness
- Examinations of undressed patients conducted behind glass doors
- Patient data visible from waiting areas
- Glare on screens compromising diagnostic imaging quality
- Lack of space for timely medical record updates
Hospital management acknowledged the issues in a written statement, emphasising that “safety for patients and staff is our top priority.” They noted an existing system for reporting hazardous incidents and pledged to “ensure necessary lessons are learned to prevent recurrence.”
Kjærsgaard confirmed that furniture replacements—including fixed-base chairs and softer plastic tables—are now underway, though he questioned why fixes were not implemented earlier: “As far as I know, these measures were already agreed at the management level.”