[SharonH, RN]

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/met..._0915_web.html

Four nurses at a Lawrenceville psychiatric facility have been suspended without pay following an investigation into the rape of a female patient by an HIV-positive man, a hospital spokesman and the nurses' attorney said Friday.

This was a violent criminal act," Crumpler said. "These are nurses, they are assistants. They are not jailers, they are not deputies."

Of course it's too soon to tell if they were negligent or not but I don't agree they should have been suspended without pay.

[nancykday]

Addiction Medicine," the statement said. "We strive to promote an environment of safety for all of our patients, and we are doing all that we can to support the patient and family during this difficult time



Love to know what their staffing patterns were. Is the facility adequately staffed for the patient acuity, what type of security staff do they have on the unit? Does the facility " stive to promote an environment of safeth for all our patients", but short staffing the facility and force OT on the nursing staff? Sounds to me that the nurses are being offered up as scapegoats.

[Mayflye]

Just like a hospital to turn its' back on their employees. I'm sure we'll never hear the nurses' side of the story.

[heartrn35]

When ever a police officer is suspended pending and investigation, they are suspended with pay!! If this is S.O.P. then why is it assumed that the nurses are somehow at fault (by taking away their pay). I'd bet that these nurses feel traumatized that a patient under their care was violated in this manner, but it sounds like management is supporting the patients and their families, but not one word about supporting their staff. When push comes to shove it's still an "us and them" mentality.
my 2 cents.

[CHATSDALE]

horrible situation i know of male pts being arrested or [morefrequently] sent to another facility] but i have never heard nurses being suspended for acts that they could not prevent
if the offending patient was know to be sexually agressive then the administrators as well as the nurses knew of this likelyhood, and the highest authority should be the resonsible person
we had an occurance of a 30 something man, very large imposing guy, the police came but did not take him to jail, thank goodness i was not the one who had to call the family and tell them their 86 y/o mother had been raped. while all this was going on state walked in for their yearly inspection..they demanded that the male patient be sent to a single sex facility at a state hospital..while we were waiting for a bed to open up we had to have a cna to be with one on one 24/7 . the brillant phb started off with a small female wasn't long before he tried to drag her into an empty room:
orderlys when availbable, housekeeping, office guys had to be pulled into service

[linzz]

I hope those nurses are able to obtain legal help. It sure seems like you know what rolls downhill. One of the many reasons for the nursing shortage. This whole article just makes me sad for those nurses. I will hope for justice for the nurses.

[jlsRN]

The hospital is obviously attempting to defer blame on the nursing staff in anticipation of the inevitable lawsuit.

[oramar]

Obviously an attempt by administration to deflect responsibility from themselves to the staff. This is the first time I have heard of anyone being punished like this or of an institution having a policy like this.

[anbreen]

Originally Posted by nancykday

Addiction Medicine," the statement said. "We strive to promote an environment of safety for all of our patients, and we are doing all that we can to support the patient and family during this difficult time



Love to know what their staffing patterns were. Is the facility adequately staffed for the patient acuity, what type of security staff do they have on the unit? Does the facility " stive to promote an environment of safeth for all our patients", but short staffing the facility and force OT on the nursing staff? Sounds to me that the nurses are being offered up as scapegoats.

Agree! How many nurses are equiped to do security work against violent criminals? If the nurses have a good attorney, I think they can OWN that place

[nancykday]

Originally Posted by anbreen

Agree! How many nurses are equiped to do security work against violent criminals? If the nurses have a good attorney, I think they can OWN that place

agree 100%! I'm tired of corporations, which is what all hospitals are in this day and age, shirking their responsibility, and attempting to shift blame onto staff.