During my 16 years working as a licensed practical nurse at National Healthcare of Bristol, Va., I had the privilege of working with James Wright, nursing aide, who was recently indicted for alleged sexual battery. The word alleged, according to Webster’s New World Dictionary, is defined as to assert or declare without proof.
While working with James as a charge nurse, I saw no form of abuse and none was reported to me by the staff. The nursing aide who reported the alleged abuse worked for NHC for six months and stated that the nurses had known about it for years. I did not know it and if it had been reported to me, he would have been sent home immediately.
Chain of command? If I suspected abuse, the situation called for immediate action, not to go up a chain of command. The nurse who reportedly saw the abuse and quit her job said she could not look at these people in the face knowing they were being harmed; good decision! Patients need a nursing staff that stand for the patients and take firm action to get rid of undesirable people. So far I see suggestions of malfeasance also.
Was this patient a victim of dementia or sexual abuse? I understand the family’s concern. It would be hard to watch change and decline. The patient was receiving prescribed anti-psychotic drugs.
By the way, someone should write an article about abuse of health care staff.
Della Arnold
Abingdon, Va.
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