A Hypothetical Conversation

OK, a nurse named Marjorie on H Unit at EMHC is called into a meeting with Director of Nursing Ryma Jacobson and Hospital Administrator Michelle Evans. It's Monday morning, after a reported incident over the weekend wherein an African-American Registered Nursing Assistant (RNA) was spat on and physically attacked by a patient ("Helen" --not her real name) who is pretty well known for frequent aggression. The context includes increasing allegations of corruption and patient abuse at EMHC which, it is feared, could become high profile media or new civil lawsuits almost any day. People could be fired or even prosecuted.

JACOBSON:    Marj, you were on over the weekend, right?

MARJORIE:    Yes, I worked yesterday on H.

JACOBSON:    Did you witness the incident when Helen had a fight with that RNA?

MARJORIE:    Helen was bad yesterday. She came after me and Remmy, spitting at us and trying to head-butt us. We called Security, and they came to the unit and took her back to her room a couple times.

EVANS:            We're interested in the fight she had with an RNA, though. Did you witness that?

MARJORIE:    Well, Remmy and I were in the nurses' station. We heard some yelling, and we knew it was Helen again, so we called security back.

JACOBSON:    But you saw the RNA, right? Did she hit Helen?

MARJORIE:    I wasn't in the day room until security arrived to take Helen back to her room again. The RNA was pretty upset, Helen had obviously been tangling with her the same way she had with me and Remmy earlier. Security walked the RNA out, too. But I didn't really see who hit who first, I just heard it sounded like a fight, and we figured Helen was going off, trying to get the meds she likes, that's why she does it.

EVANS:            Marj, you're in the union, right?

MARJORIE:    Sure...

EVANS:            And this RNA is from an agency, so she's non-union, isn't she?

MARJORIE:    Sure, I guess.

JACOBSON:    Marj, you know there's been a bunch of allegations about patient abuse by staff, and there's a lot of crazy legal cases being brought against people who are just doing their jobs, even though it's dangerous to deal with patients who are mentally ill and violent, and they're just trying to get media and money, and some are even trying to close hospitals down, like at Choate. Are you aware of these things that are happening?

MARJORIE:    Well, I know everyone's a little paranoid now...

JACOBSON:    Here's the deal. I think you knew the RNA was on the unit, and Helen says she hit her. You and Remmy were right there, you witnessed the incident. We really have to be industrious about reporting any kind of staff abuse of patients right now, and this is a case...

MARJORIE:    Well, Remmy and I definitely heard the commotion from the nurses' station, that's why we called security again. We couldn't see exactly...

EVANS:            Marj, you and Remmy are good, well-trained mental health nurses, supported by your union, and not likely to just sit in the nurses' station when you know the unit really needs to be actively monitored after the earlier trouble that morning. This RNA on the other hand, might not be as good at redirecting Helen and avoiding a fight. I think she probably hit Helen, right?

MARJORIE:    Well...

JACOBSON:    Hey Marj, if the police ask you whether you saw the RNA hit Helen, don't say you were sitting back, hiding in the nurses' station! That could even be called neglect under the circumstances.

MARJORIE:    I don't want to be blamed! Helen was spitting on me and Remmy and coming after us yesterday, too. She's totally out of control half the time!

JACOBSON:    Ya well, we're pretty sure this was the RNA's fault. OK?

MARJORIE:    I get it, that's fine.

EVANS:            Thanks for your help, Marj.

(Please note: This conversation is entirely hypothetical. The meeting with Marjorie and Ryma Jacobson and Michelle Evans on the morning of May 1, 2023, might be fiction. On the other hand, the police did investigate an incident like this, and a non-union, agency RNA was recently charged in Kane County Criminal Court with aggravated battery for allegedly hitting a patient at EMHC. The RNA says she is not guilty and she's being discriminated against. Investigation continues, so perhaps we will see.)