Nurse At Hospital In North Central CT Accused Of Punching Patient

STAFFORD, CT — A nurse at Johnson Memorial Hospital has been charged with assault as part of an investigation into an altercation with a patient, state police said.

The nurse, a 37-year-old woman from Tolland, surrendered to state police on Feb. 15, records show. A warrant has charged her with third-degree assault on an elderly person. She is due in court on Feb. 28.

An arrest report indicates the patient was a 71-year-old woman.

According to a warrant, the investigation dates back to Jan. 24, when state police and the Johnson Memorial Hospital security director reviewed a video from 10 days earlier. The video showed a nurse "grabbing" a patient in a common area who was known to display "behavioral disturbance issues" related to dementia. The nurse encountered some resistance as the patient began to brace herself against a door frame while she was being moved to a room, according to a warrant.

The nurse is then seen slapping and punching the patient on the video, according to a warrant.

Another nurse eventually intervened, according to a warrant.

Injuries were not mentioned in any incident report when reviewed by state police, according to a warrant.