From thestarcom
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health pleaded guilty Monday to a workplace safety charge related to the 2014 beating of a nurse by a patient that reportedly left the victim “beyond recognition.”
Justice Robert Bigelow ordered the hospital to pay an $80,000 fine.
The Ontario Ministry of Labour laid four charges against the hospital in December 2014 following a Jan. 12, 2014, incident in which a patient allegedly dragged, kicked and beat a CAMH nurse who was conducting hourly rounds.
CAMH pleaded guilty to violating the Occupational Health and Safety Act by failing to develop, establish and put in place measures and procedures to protect the health and safety of workers. The three other charges were withdrawn by the ministry.
According to an agreed statement of facts read out in court by Crown attorney Line Forestier, the nurse was doing a round at 11 p.m. when a male patient pushed her to the ground from behind and began kicking her.
The victim could not activate her body-worn alarm, a device known as a “screamer,” or a wall-mounted alarm during the attack.
Two other nurses heard the commotion and went to investigate; one tried to stop the patient while the other ran back to the nursing station to call police. The nurse who stayed behind couldn’t stop the patient but got the victim to her feet. Both ran towards the station, but the patient caught up to them and continued the assault; the nurse fought him off with a chair before she and the victim entered the safety of the nursing station.
Toronto police arrived and arrested the patient for assault. The Star was unable to learn whether the patient was charged in the incident.
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