Mental health nurse broke arm of violent patient

May 4, 2005

A mental health nurse broke the arm of a violent patient while restraining him.

Michael Murphy, 32, from Ynysddu, was described as a "caring and responsible" nurse who had lost his temper after the man hit him in the face with an elbow.

BBC.co.uk reported that last week at Newport Crown Court.
Murphy admitted causing grievous bodily harm

Judge David Morris accepted that Murphy had been "provoked" by the man but said there was no defence for the force he had used. Murphy was also fined £1,000.

BBC.co.uk reported that the two had struggled at St Cadoc's Hospital in Caerleon, Wales, in August 2004, after the patient struck him in the face with an elbow.

The jury heard that the patient had been criminally violent in the past. The defendant and a colleague started to restrain him because they thought he was going to become more violent.

The man's arm was fractured in the struggle.

Judge David Morris said he accepted that the patient was "difficult" and said that some people might have seen Murphy's actions as perhaps understandable, but said there was no excuse for his actions.

Murphy had been suspended from his job since the incident and now could be struck off the nursing register.

Murphy was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £400.

.....

Where is the help for nursing staff?

From: Anonymous (to protect identity), nursing assistant, County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust

Date: November 14, 2005

Comment: I remember that recently it took five members of staff on a night shift to subdue a woman on a ward as an informal patient. This patient had knives stored in her room and was willing to attack a member of staff at the drop of a hat.

During this woman's day leave she consumed a bottle of vodka and four cans of strong lager. It was down to the senior house office to "5(2)" her so she could be sent to the locked ward where, on being searched, she was found to have a pair of nail sissors. One female staff member had to be sent home as her shoulder was dislocated.

Where is the help for the nursing staff when really needed and how come we don't often see the 'no tolerance' deal work in our favour? As drugs and alchol are rife in psychiatric hospitals the problem will only get worse.

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