Warrant Issued For Patient Accused Of Attacking Nurse Who Died Days Later

If a mental health, or any other kind of “patient” attacked a citizen on the street, a law officer, teacher, banker, postal worker, child, etc they would be arrested and probably sued. However, its supposed to be okay just because someone is a healthcare worker? Plus, some employers are complicit in letting the abuse occur by not providing security and trying to prevent healthcare workers from exercizing their rights as citizens to report being abused? If a patient was abused by the mental health patient or anyone else in the the hospital, it would be reported. People would be prosecuted. Nurses and other healthcare workers need to contact an attorney right away if any manager or hospital official tries to sweep abuse or injuries under the rug. Why are nurses and other health care workers being treated as non citizens or even non human? We have rights too and its about time employers and the general public realizes it. We need to call Time’s Up on all this nonsense!

One of our CNAs was attacked the last day I worked. She was punched in the neck and the chest and knocked down. The patient then went on to attack a nurse and kicked her in the head. Don’t know the outcome on the nurse. Our CNA is “ok” but says she’s putting in her notice. I work in mother/ baby and we have had low census lately. They pull our CNAs to be sitters. She was sitting with 4 patients, responsible for watching these people who are not mentally stable on med/ surg. The girl is small too,not even 5 ft. In the old days, there would have been an orderly there plus the patient would have probably been on psych, it’s crazy. The hospital is gambling with your wellbeing.

Anonymous: I resigned my job last year when I could no longer feel safe on the mental health unit where I was employed for more than 15 years. A patient tore the ligament in my left hand leaving me with the option of surgical repair or 6 weeks of casting. My unit Manager preferred to call the injury an accident, “she didn’t really mean to hurt you”. Within 48 hours of my injury this patient broke the wrist and tore the ligament in the hand of my nurse colleague. This colleague continues to suffer long term pain and some hand incapacity. In this same environment within approximately a six month time frame, another nurse was choked inside the nursing office requiring security assistance to rescue him, another mental health counselor was struck in the face and knocked to the floor, another was wrestled to the floor and chocked and a fourth was struck and psychologically damaged with a PTSD response. Our employer was never very sympathetic often taking the position that nurses working in mental health should know how to avoid injury and how to decelerate situations of violence. When inadequate security back up was sited and we requested to call 911 in extreme situations this was not authorized and we were instructed that any call for police back would need to be screened by hospital security to determine if it was in fact needed.
Upon reflection now while being out the danger for the past year, I realize that employers can also be a part of the injury to nurses.

As a nurse who had a schizophrenic brother who committed suicide, I know that mentally ill people often have no support in maintaining a stable condition outside the hospital unless they give permission for a family member or friend to have their medical information. HIPPA laws have caused many mentally unstable people to fall through the cracks. They feel better when taking meds, so stop taking them and then go off the rails. Family members are shut out from knowing any medical information that could help prevent a crisis situation. I’ve seen this happen many times. The mentally ill person living in the general population would greatly benefit from having a mentor/mental health care “partner” to supervise scripts, insurance, disability, and life skills needed to live effectively and safely outside an institution. Not all would be helped , but many would.

My deepest condolences to her family and friends. I do agree that things have to change. Over my many years working as a RN I’ve been kicked, punched, bit and scratched. Verbal abuse has always been the norm. We can’t let this continue.

I and other staff were attacked repeatedly by a large, very strong dementia patient in an ECF. No security available, no violence plan in the facility
( although I asked for this and was met
With silence from my supervisors.)
I was choked and arm twisted. Multiple falls (2 per day average) with this patient. Crying, frightened staff.
We must contact our lawmakers to have Federal legislation enacted to protect healthcare workers ( or join a union! That’s the only protection we have…)
Take care everybody and get away from a violent patient – call 911!

Too many times patients are stabilized on medications and then they choose to stop taking them. That is where they should be held accountable for crimes committed because they were not taking their medications. I believe patients have a right to stop medications but not when doing so puts other lives at risk. I have also faced aggressive patients but have not been harmed so far. Thanks to security and police officers.

I am so sorry for this nurse and her family. Unfortunately there are no facilities for the mentally unstable patients in Florida so they are “mainstreamed” into nursing facilities. If we send the patient to a higher level of care they are sent back because the hospital does not want to appropriately care for them. The hospitals are scared to get “stuck” with a mentally unstable patient. If they would only treat them accordingly we could better meet the needs of them, our staff, and the other patients who would be affected by this resident. Instead we are treated punitively by our state regulators instead of working with all parties to effectively care for everyone. Having said that I agree this patient needs to be held accountable for what he did to this nurse. Further investigation of the facilities training regarding behavioral patients needs is warranted as well.

Nurses are always mistreated, abused and attacked but when the patient has mental issues, it’s supposed to be acceptable? This patients actions against a Nurse cost her her life. How many more Nurses lives will it take before patients are held accountable for their actions, mental or not?

I too am a nurse, for 34 years, I am grateful the conversation is occurring, in years past, all would be swept under the rug. The facility would manage to p[ay for the medical treatment, yet NO CHARGES!

Just because they are mental health patients does not mean they are above the law. he can and has obviously been charged. If he is deemed not fit to stand trial he will be in a facility until he is and evaluated on whether he was sane at the time of the crime. if they plead not guilty by reason of insanity they will then belong to the state forever even if they rehab and are released. they can be picked back up at any time, if they are not compliant

Aren’t there “prisons” for the criminally inclined mental health patients or did such institutions get cut from the government budgets? I know that government funding for most of our local residential places for mental health patients have been closed and we’ve seen an increase in the presence of mental health patients at hospitals and, subsequently jails. I am glad the perpetrator of Lynn’s attack is being held accountable.

I am a nurse and I do agree with Christina!! There are time when the patients of this population are very well aware of their actions. But for a nurse to her life is so very devastating, when all she is there to do is care for her patients.

This is terrible occurrence, however as nurses we are attacked often and nothing is done. Previously other hospitals I have worked at would fine patients or list them as violent in the chart. When you look back in history hospitals were created to help with mental health, I think we need to increase our awareness and defense among nurses on this issue and speak up about the attacks on nurses. If it is mental health then they should be committed to an institution for care to control the MH, otherwise the same incident can occur.

It’s about time that the person/patient is held accountable for his actions. 98% of the time these patients know what they are doing and they know that it is wrong. If we lifted one finger towards a patient much less a “mental health” patient, we would lose our license, our livelihood and our reputation. These patients are allowed to verbally abuse us, spit, kick, punch, slap and slander the people that are responsible for their care but I have never even seen them chastised much less charged….. it’s about damn time!

My heart and prayers go out to the nurse’s family and loved ones.
Christine Snyder

We know the mental health pt… is not ever in their “right mind”. He won’t be charged…
Suspect needs to go to prison..but “they can’t do that because of his mental health..”
Not lynns fault he went off his meds because they were working.