A nurse at a Spanish hospital who was kicked forcefully in the testicles by a patient died after being sent home without an examination.
The victim, named by local media as Juan Alonso RP, a 52-year-old auxiliary nurse at the psychiatric ward of Madrid’s San Jose Foundation hospital, died on Feb 15 without receiving treatment.
According to witnesses, a patient grabbed Juan Alonso and kicked him hard between his legs.
The nurse fell to the floor and lost consciousness, according to a report by the CCOO health worker union, which alleged negligence on the hospital’s part.
He was taken to a bed where he regained consciousness and was allowed to rest for an hour and a half. The hospital said he could go home without being examined by a doctor.
Juan Alonso was given a note by his employees so that he could visit a doctor under the hospital’s insurance cover.
Given that it was 7pm when he left his place of work, Juan Alonso went home, where he later died.
A forensic report on the cause of death has yet to be finalised.
‘No application of assault protocol’
CCOO said that worker representatives at the hospital, run by a Catholic religious order, had previously complained about the lack of safety protocols to deal with attacks on staff, especially given the risk posed by some psychiatric patients.
“For us, the underlying cause contributing to the occurrence of this workplace accident resulting in death is the absence of safety measures, and the non-application of the assault protocol,” said Manuel Barroso of CCOO’s Madrid health worker section.
“It is clear that there were no adequate preventive measures in place and nor did the staff have sufficient and appropriate training to deal with this type of conflict,” Mr Barroso added.
The union said it had filed a complaint with the workplace inspectorate and demanded that civil and criminal action be pursued against the hospital authorities.
The Telegraph has approached the San José Foundation Hospital for comment.
