On June 16, 2020, a nurse at Community Hospital in Munster, Indiana was assaulted by a psychiatric patient. Two retired Lake County sheriff officers working as hospital security promptly rushed to the nurse’s defense. When the patient started choking 1 of the officers to the point of near unconsciousness, the officer’s partner pulled his weapon and fired, killing both the struggling officer and his attacker.
While I was glad to learn that the nurse was not seriously harmed, situations like this break my heart. Still, it concerns me that nurses are put in harm’s way while doing their job. Something needs to be done to protect them.
One such nurse is paving the way for this. Dr. Sandra Risoldi, founder of NursesAgainstViolence.org is an advocate for change and for nurses to speak up about workplace violence. I’m glad that she is leading this charge to help others.
What is your facility doing to prevent workplace violence? What can they do to ensure events like the Indiana incident do not happen to you or any of your colleagues? I invite you to leave your thoughts and comments below.
Patricia Chaballa says
I work in an acute psychiatric hospital too.
The security in our hospital is practically non existent. Several of my coworkers have been assaulted, and none as extreme as this incident, but many quite serious none the less.
No guns are allowed in our facility. Even police officers are asked to not bring their weapons in when they are onsite, primarily due to the possibility of a patient somehow getting ahold of their weapon.
We have “code greens” which alert other workers to go to units to assist when a patient is escalating in an aggressive manner. Most of the time they are able to de-escalate the patient, at least until emergency medications can be given when appropriate. However, anyone, patients included, can be attacked without warning, and there are multiple incidents where the code team members are injured during these situations.
The hospital does a fair job of admitting potentially violent patients to a particular unit, but we end up transferring patients to those units everyday and frequently, those units are already full and cannot accept the transfers.
It’s a big problem and many of us do not feel safe in spite of policies meant to prevent altercations. Such as staff trained in de-escalation techniques, CPI certification etc.
Barbara Craig says
Why was Dr. Strong not called? Why were officers allowed on unit?. Why were guns allowed on unit?
Wrong on so many levels. Panic and fear. When we have a violent patient in danger of hurting self and or others that cannot be deescalated with calm demeanor and or chemicals a Dr. Strong is called. Team of CPI trained in individuals is called STAT. Patient is placed in seclusion. If needed PRNs are given.
This facility failed this nurse, patient and law officer.
LORIE A BROWN, R.N., M.N., J.D. says
Thanks for the great comment. Our nurses should not be harmed in the line of duty. Neither should the officers.
LORIE A BROWN, R.N., M.N., J.D. says
Thanks for your comment. More has to be done to keep our nurses safe
Compton and Broomhead Dental Center says
This is heartbreaking to read. I can’t believe it happened in the line of duty. I think there has more to be done to keep our nurses safer. Good to know that the nurse was not seriously injured.