Nurse brutally beaten in a Brooklyn Hospital

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http://m.nydailynews.com/1.1606545#bmb=1

A patient at Brookdale University Hospital in Brooklyn viciously beat a 69-year-old nurse when she came to check on him Friday, leaving the woman with life-threatening injuries, officials said.

The patient, Kwincii Jones, 40, lunged at Evelyn Lynch as she approached his bedside at about 4:30 p.m. , police sources said.

Another nurse later investigated an intercom alert that was coming from Jones' room and found the suspect "stomping on Lynch's head," one police source said.

"He beat the crap out of her," the police source said. "He jumped out of bed and stomped on her. She was bleeding from the head."

Lynch was rushed to Kings County Hospital where she underwent brain surgery Friday night. She was listed in critical condition.

Jones had been admitted to the hospital on Linden Blvd. in East Flatbush on Wednesday after complaining of stomach pains, police sources said.

It was not immediately clear what prompted the attack.

Specializes in Emergency Department.
armed in a hospital? With the number of agitated patients we deal with on a daily basis, that suggestion is a recipe for disaster. The phrase "trigger-happy" comes to mind.

Carrying a weapon is one thing. Lots of people do, including cops. Being armed is an entirely different state of mind. I'm almost never unarmed, even in a hospital. While I may not carry a gun there, or even a knife, I almost always have something on my person that can be used as a very dangerous weapon.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
The upshot for us: Be aware of changes in patient demeanor that indicate possible impending violence and if you feel even slightly threatened, back off and get reinforcements. Even if the pt appears calm and you don't feel threatened, stay aware and stay out of arm's (and leg's) reach when possible. Don't let yourself get backed into a corner - always have a way out and be ready at all times to use it.

You just don't know who might "go off," and as a previous poster mentioned, we often become the target of a patient's frustrations about their illness and hospital stay. We are expected to "fix everything" and often can do nothing to fix a patient's messed up life. Somehow this becomes the nurse's fault. Always be aware. Be careful out there! Blessings and good healing to our fellow nurse.

This is a good post and gives me pause. I think back and wonder how many times I have positioned the IV pole on the far side of the bed in an alcohol withdrawal case, a borderline personality or other unstable mental illness or other types of patients who give a reasonable cause to be aware of the potential for violence. Of course not all of them are a threat and of course someone with no indicators or flags can attack, but taking reasonable precautions in those who do have certain indicators for potential is just good sense. Something as simple as where I have to go to give meds could make a huge difference in my safety, but I never really thought about that until now. I have been attacked by a patient, but only in the way that most of us have -confused elderly trying to scratch or bite or kick and usually too weak to accomplish much.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Actually I just remembered a paranoid alcohol withdrawal who escalated so fast it took my breath away. He was special forces military trained and almost snapped my coworker's arm when she came in to assist me. Young, strong and absolutely out of his mind. We gave him 10 of Ativan and it did nothing. Took security and four of us holding him just to race him through the hospital to the ICU. That one could have gone very very badly.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

It's not a cowardly retreat, "song in my heart." It's a strategic retreat.

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Specializes in Hospice, Case Management, Telemetry, Hom.
Carrying a weapon is one thing. Lots of people do, including cops. Being armed is an entirely different state of mind. I'm almost never unarmed, even in a hospital. While I may not carry a gun there, or even a knife, I almost always have something on my person that can be used as a very dangerous weapon.

Hi Akulahawk:

Truth is that even if she had a gun, how would she have even accessed it while removing a catheter from the man's member. Even if she was quick draw McGraw, that would require some real slight of hand...not that you said she could have, but I'm just saying. Her age, whether she was aware or not..none of that really matters when you are in that position of giving care. You cant jump up fast enough to ward off a swift and violent attack, its just not realistic. It could have happened to anyone and that is what makes it scary.

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Hi Akulahawk:

Truth is that even if she had a gun, how would she have even accessed it while removing a catheter from the man's member. Even if she was quick draw McGraw, that would require some real slight of hand...not that you said she could have, but I'm just saying. Her age, whether she was aware or not..none of that really matters when you are in that position of giving care. You cant jump up fast enough to ward off a swift and violent attack, its just not realistic. It could have happened to anyone and that is what makes it scary.

Does carrying a weapon guarantee safety? Absolutely not. Does training and carrying a weapon increase the odds of safety? Absolutely.

Here is a video of someone getting pummeled by an attacker on top of him who is able to draw his smoke wagon to excellent affect.

VIDEO: Wedding night fight ends with officer killing firefighter in front of new wife | KFOR.com

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Specializes in PICU.

I've been wondering about this story and how she was doing. Just tried to google her name and there are no updated articles. I hope she is recovering well.

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True. The assumption of complete safety is an illusion, as is the assumption that arming oneself will keep them safe from violence

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I've been wondering about this story and how she was doing. Just tried to google her name and there are no updated articles. I hope she is recovering well.

Like to look at it as "no news is good news".

Live in NYC and have heard nothing in local news media either about the nurse passing or taking a turn for the worse. That tells me she is recovering and doing well as can be expected. Had things gone otherwise it would have made the news if nothing else because charges against her attacker would have been upgraded to manslaughter or even perhaps murder.

Because of privacy laws the hospital is not going to release information nor is anyone else involved with the nurse's care. That information can only come from the nurse herself and or family. Again since nothing has been said one can only assume everyone is dedicating the time and energy to the woman's recovery.

Likely the next and perhaps only time we in the general public will hear anything else is when the attacker's trial begins. That or any other criminal court activity such as the guy just pleading guilty and sentenced.

Anyone who is interested in sending a get well or some such card may wish to contact the hospital's nursing office to see if they are doing anything. While again they cannot release information they may be forwarding cards or whatever sent to them in care of the nurse, and or holding them for collection by family. Just a thought.

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Specializes in Critical Care/Vascular Access.
Reason #39173 to stay armed. Signs and good intentions don't stop violence. This is the world, dress accordingly. Don't mean to sound cold, but in that environment, if you're not a step ahead, you're 10 steps behind.

I know this post was from a while back, and I didn't read every post since, but are you really suggesting nurses and other healthcare workers carry handguns? Don't get me wrong, I completely support the right to carry and gun ownership in general, but nurses carrying around handguns is just a baaaaad idea on so many levels. Like insanely bad. I assume you're in healthcare since you're a member on here, so what kind of facility do you work in? I just know on my surgical floor and the kind of patients we deal with it would put so many people at risk it would be unthinkable to even consider, well trained or not.

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Specializes in Leadership, Psych, HomeCare, Amb. Care.

Does anyone else have any further updates since 2014?

A much-maligned Brooklyn hospital got slapped with a $78,000 fine Monday after a federal probe found the facility failed to protect its workers from violent patients and falling equipment.

More than 40 employees at Brookdale University Hospital sustained head, eye, face and groin injuries between February and May, according to an Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation.

A 70-year-old nurse had to undergo brain surgery in February after a patient viciously beat her, repeatedly stomping on her head, the report said.

Another hospital staffer was punched in the back by a patient in a shocking, unrelated incident that could have been averted, officials said.

Brookdale management was aware of these incidents and did not take effective measures to prevent assaults against its employees,” OSHA director Kay Gee said.

The facility's workplace violence program was ineffective, with many employees unaware of its purpose, specifics or existence,” Gee added.

The probe was launched after patient Kwincii Jones, 40, allegedly forced nurse Evelyn Lynch to the ground and stomped on her head until she lost consciousness, authorities said.....

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brookdale-hospital-hit-78l-fine-federal-labor-department-article-1.1899858

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Does anyone else have any further updates since 2014?

A much-maligned Brooklyn hospital got slapped with a $78,000 fine Monday after a federal probe found the facility failed to protect its workers from violent patients and falling equipment.

More than 40 employees at Brookdale University Hospital sustained head, eye, face and groin injuries between February and May, according to an Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation.

A 70-year-old nurse had to undergo brain surgery in February after a patient viciously beat her, repeatedly stomping on her head, the report said.

Another hospital staffer was punched in the back by a patient in a shocking, unrelated incident that could have been averted, officials said.

Brookdale management was aware of these incidents and did not take effective measures to prevent assaults against its employees,” OSHA director Kay Gee said.

The facility's workplace violence program was ineffective, with many employees unaware of its purpose, specifics or existence,” Gee added.

The probe was launched after patient Kwincii Jones, 40, allegedly forced nurse Evelyn Lynch to the ground and stomped on her head until she lost consciousness, authorities said.....

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brookdale-hospital-hit-78l-fine-federal-labor-department-article-1.1899858

Due to confidentiality laws nothing more will likely be found out about the nurse unless or until she or person or persons authorized issue statements. As for her attacker nothing in local New York media yet. Believe it or not it can take two years or more for a criminal case to make its way to trial/resolution here in NYC. Easiest are those where the defendant takes a plea deal, however if he or she chooses to go to trail all bets are off.

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