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On February 7, 2014, 70-year-old Evelyn Lynch was beaten into unconsciousness by a patient she was preparing for discharge. The Brooklyn nurse was taken to Kings County Hospital where she underwent neurosurgery after sustaining head trauma and multiple facial fractures. News reports state that Kwincii Jones, the 40-year-old man she was caring for, suddenly knocked her to the ground, struck her with an IV pole, repeatedly kicked her and stomped on her head – leaving her in critical condition. He is in police custody facing second-degree assault and attempted murder charges.
This recent attack is shocking and highlights the exposure to workplace violence that demands regulatory and legislative responses. Thanks to the efforts of the New York State Nurses Association, New York did pass legislation which went into effect on November 1, 2010. The Violence Against Nurses law makes it a Class D felony to assault an on-duty nurse. A person convicted of this felony is subject to up to seven years in prison. All jurisdictions should have similar legislation. And all nurses should be familiar with the workplace safety initiatives in their states.
Information about federal standards and professional organization efforts can be obtained from many sources. Start with the American Nurses Association at http://nursingworld.org/workplaceviolence, the New York State Nurses Association at http://www.nysna.org/union/health_safety/violence.htm, and the Massachusetts Nurses Association at http://www.massnurses.org/health-and-safety/current-topics/workplace-violence.
Get involved. Learn about the issue and discover what you can do. Meanwhile we can all keep Evelyn Lynch in our thoughts and wish her a complete recovery.
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