By Sharon McBrayer, The News Herald, Morganton, N.C.
Jun. 21–MORGANTON — A psychiatrist who recently resigned from Broughton Hospital says the hospital is a dangerous place for workers.
Hospital officials deny the accusation.
Dr. Shujaat Nathani started at Broughton in September 2005. He served as chief psychiatrist in the admissions unit. He resigned May 30.
Nathani sent an e-mail to other employees on his last day. It says he resigned due to “safety/health concerns with the staff shortages that are chronic.” In one particular ward full of young, volatile men, Nathani wrote, the staff was at a minimal level on most days.
“It is getting to the point where someone is liable to get seriously hurt or get killed (I hope not),” Nathani writes. “It puts all the staff at risk, with too much liability. When I talk to staff in other divisions the story is much the same — chronic staff shortages and numerous staff injuries.”
Resigning
Speaking to The News Herald by phone this week, Nathani said conditions for staff members are pretty grim and nurses and certified nursing assistants are attacked on a regular basis. He said they are grabbed, bitten, spit on and even punched.
Nathani said some nurses needed major surgery after attacks and some can’t return to work.
When a staff member is attacked, he or she gets medical attention and an incident report is filed.
For the attacker, in most cases, there are no consequences, Nathani said.
“Mental illness is not an excuse for violence,” Nathani said, but it’s not just the mentally ill who are being admitted to Broughton.
Nathani said Broughton admits drug addicts and some will attack staff if they don’t get the pills they want. Nathani said some patients attacked him because he refused to give them certain medications.
Nathani said some addicts will threaten suicide to get themselves admitted, because they know being hospitalized is the quickest way to get the drugs they want.
It’s not just a problem at Broughton, Nathani said; it is a problem at other mental hospitals in the state.
Nathani believes hospital administrators need to hold patients accountable for their actions.
What state says
A complaint filed this year with the N.C. Department of Labor says understaffing at Broughton is causing a hostile working environment in which patients assault staff members.
The Department of Labor on June 3 sent a letter to Broughton Safety Director William Brown telling him about the complaint.
Ricardo Cruz-Segarra, district supervisor for the division of Occupational Safety and Health, told Brown his division would not conduct an inspection but said Brown should investigate the claims and report within seven days about his findings and ways to correct the situation.
In his report back to Cruz-Segarra, Brown said that, by law, patients must meet the criteria of being a danger to themselves or others before they are admitted. Almost by definition, it is impossible to have a work environment free from the chance of patient aggression toward staff, Brown said.
His department records all assault incidents.
Brown said certified nursing assistants suffered 91 percent of all staff injuries from 2005 to 2008.
The CNA staff increased from 2005 to 2008 and the assaults against CNAs dropped. Brown attributes the decrease mainly to training.
Brown goes on to say that while more staff would enhance the quality of care to patients, the amount of current staff numbers hasn’t led to a hostile work environment.
Mark Van Sciver, a spokesman for the state, said he doesn’t believe people are being admitted just to get drugs. Van Sciver said many patients typically have a dual diagnoses.
The News Herald on Wednesday asked Broughton for the number of patients admitted since January who were diagnosed with addiction problems. The newspaper also asked for information on the number of patient attacks on staff and patient-on-patient attacks.
Van Sciver said Broughton officials are focusing on getting through an inspection so the hospital will be recertified to bill for Medicaid and Medicare. He said Broughton staff won’t be able to provide the requested information until next week.
Broughton lost its Medicaid and Medicare funding in August after two deaths at the hospital. Inspections in August and March found numerous deficiencies.
Inspectors showed up again on Monday and wrapped up their investigation on Thursday. A preliminary report said investigators would recommend recertifying the hospital to receive Medicare and Medicaid funds.
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