Patient Charged with Felony for Punching Nurse, Claims She ‘Couldn’t Fight Urge’ to Attack
In yet another incident that has once again brought the issue of violence against nurses to the forefront, Nia Washington, a 21-year-old woman, has been charged with second-degree battery, a felony assault, for punching a nurse in the head at an emergency room at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center.
According to local news reports, police were called to the hospital after Washington had attempted to assault a nurse, but ended up grazing the nurse instead. Police were able to calm Washington by convincing her that everyone was there to help her. Shortly after the police left, Washington hit a nurse in the head.
Court documents state that during her Mirandized interview, Washington admitted to battering a nurse and also disclosed that she “had medical issues and could not fight the urges to strike hospital staff.” She was held on a $25,000 cash-only bond, ordered to have no contact with the victim and undergo psychiatric evaluation. Washington is no longer listed as an inmate of Greene County Detention Center.
This case adds to the growing number of assaults against nurses in recent years.
According to a report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare workers experience the highest rates of injuries caused by workplace violence compared to other professional and technical occupations. Nurses, in particular, are at a heightened risk, with the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) estimating that one out of four nurses has been assaulted at work.
As the nation grapples with this pressing issue, healthcare organizations, policymakers, and advocacy groups are calling for increased awareness, better-reporting mechanisms, and more comprehensive training programs to equip healthcare workers with the tools and resources they need to protect themselves and provide the best possible care to their patients.
