COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio postpartum nurse at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center was reportedly assaulted on the evening of November 6, an incident that has since sparked outrage and demands for action from the Ohio State University nurses union and Ohio Nurses Association.
Details of the Ohio Nurse Assault and Protective Order Violation
The assault occurred at Rhodes Hall when the nurse intervened in an altercation involving a female patient and Asiakare Minor, a man allegedly violating a protective order.
Witnesses recount that the nurse was attempting to de-escalate a situation where Minor, holding a newborn, was arguing with the child’s mother, reports WKRC. The mother reportedly had a protection order against Minor, which prohibited him from being within 500 feet of her. The suspect allegedly became aggressive, grabbing the nurse by the front of her shirt and lanyard and strangling her, dragging her approximately 20 yards down the hallway, all while holding the infant.
Fortunately, the baby was unharmed during the confrontation.
Minor now faces multiple charges, including violation of a protection order, unlawful restraint, and assault.
Hospital Response and Union Demands for Wexner Medical Center Accountability
Ohio Nurses Association President Rick Lucas has criticized the Wexner Medical Center’s leadership for their handling of the situation. According to Lucas, the nurse was not seen in the emergency department after the attack, nor did any hospital officials check on her, reports WLWT.
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Marti Leitch, the chief spokesperson for Wexner Medical Center, acknowledged delays in the support process but assured that corrective measures are being implemented to prevent such occurrences in the future. However, the Ohio State University Nurses Association has publicly criticized the hospital, particularly for allowing Minor to leave the premises without arrest following his discharge the next day.
The hospital’s response has been met with skepticism. An Ohio Nurses Association Facebook post claims OSU police were only called after the hospital confirmed Minor’s identity, despite having received a call about him the previous day.
The nurses’ union is now demanding that the hospital preserve and release all camera footage related to the incident, conduct a debriefing with hospital administration, ban Minor from the hospital unless necessary for medical care, and provide the assaulted nurse with paid leave.
Leitch confirmed that employees in such situations are informed of their right to press charges.
