Former psychiatric nurse settles action for €140k

A FORMER psychiatric nurse who says she was attacked and dragged along a floor by a patient who allegedly should have been in a restraining jacket in Our Lady’s Hospital, Cork, has settled her action for damages in the High Court for a figure understood to be about €140,000.

The settlement was without admission of liability.

The proceedings were taken by Eileen Kennedy of Sliabh Luachra, Curraheen, Carrigrohane, Co Cork, against the Health Service Executive, who denied the claims concerning the incident which occurred on May 31, 2004, while Ms Kennedy was working on the night shift at the hospital.

The HSE denied negligence or breach of statutory duty as alleged and the settlement was without admission of liability.

Dr John O’Mahony SC for Ms Kennedy told the court that on May 31, 2004, his client was attacked by a patient and dragged by her head and hair along the floor for a protracted period as a result of which she suffered severe personal injury, loss, damage, inconvenience and expense. Her attacker, he said, was vicious and out of control at the time and his client was eventually released with the help of staff. Her head was cut and bleeding and her neck was very sore. She had previously been assaulted in 1996 while carrying out her duties.

A consultant psychologist pointed out that Ms Kennedy showed classic signs of post traumatic stress disorder and there was no possibility she could return to work.

It was claimed that the HSE had failed to provide sufficient measures to cater for patients with known and exceptional violent tendencies and failed to have any adequate security in place at the hospital.