Nurse Physically Assaulted by Patient for 30 min While Security and Nurses Failed to Respond

Nurse Eugene is an ER travel nurse with a Master of Science in Nursing degree. Last week while Eugene was at work, in a patient’s room providing care, the patient inexplicably began attacking him. He threw Eugene’s head against a wall, causing injury. He suffered multiple lacerations to his arms and hands. Eugene repeatedly pressed the panic button on his name badge for security to come. He called out for help. No one came to his rescue. At one point, Eugene feared he might be the victim of sexual assault next, so he mentally prepared and numbed his body. He continued pressing his panic button and calling for help for 30 agonizing minutes! “30 minutes felt like hours,” Eugene said. After one half hour of ongoing assault, security finally arrived and restrained the patient. When Eugene emerged from the room his fellow nurses reportedly stated the reason they didn’t come is because they thought he was just in the room starting an IV. Many unanswered questions remain. Why did it take security 30 minutes to respond to a panic button? What is the point of having a panic button if it will not be taken seriously? Why did the other nurses not respond or check on him?

Eugene was later hospitalized for injuries sustained in the assault but has since been discharged. While in the hospital, he posted a now viral TikTok video recounting the attack.  After the incident, Eugene was instructed by hospital management to not press charges because it would reflect poorly on the hospital. He decided to go ahead with pressing charges to send a message to the healthcare system and to anyone who thinks that physical or mental abuse is appropriate. “It will not be tolerated”, the nurse said in a recent TikTok video posted to his account, @nurseeugenem. An attorney has been retained and has advised him not to share further details at this time. Eugene states he is seriously considering leaving bedside nursing altogether as a result of this incident.

Healthcare workers face violence every day. Two months ago, we witnessed the tragic massacre at a Tulsa, Oklahoma hospital. At a time when nurses and the profession is in crisis, why isn’t anyone doing anything to protect healthcare workers? The Workplace Violence Prevention for Healthcare and Social Service Workers Act (H.R.1195, S.4182) passed the House of Representatives April 16, 2021. It has been in the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions since April 19, 2021, for over one year! If passed, this bill would require the Department of Labor to address workplace violence in health care, social service, and other sectors. Specifically, Labor must issue an interim occupational safety and health standard that requires certain employers to take actions to protect workers and other personnel from workplace violence. The standard applies to employers in the health care sector andin the social service sector. It is time healthcare workers are protected and it is time Senate passes this bill.

A Cash App has been set up for those wishing to donate to Eugene’s legal or medical bills: https://cash.app/$PBKidRNMSN94