Post by WaTcHeR on Apr 8, 2006 12:41:00 GMT -5
04/08/2006 -
When Sparta Community Hospital officials refused to let a Randolph County sheriff's deputy serve a protective order on a drugged elderly patient last year, the deputy arrested a nurse, handcuffed her and took her to jail, the nurse claims in a lawsuit seeking $2 million.
Karen Shipman filed suit in federal court in East St. Louis on March 24, claiming she was hauled to jail on April 28, 2005, because the deputy said "it was not possible for him to arrest the director of nursing or the on-call physician."
According to the lawsuit, Deputy Eric Hamilton tried to serve court papers to an elderly man who was "asleep, medicated, and on intravenous therapy in the intensive care unit." The on-call doctor said the patient wasn't going anywhere and the deputy could come back in the morning.
The lawsuit states Shipman was "the only registered nurse on duty at the time of her arrest," although her lawyer said Thursday that other medical assistants with less training were working that night. She is suing Hamilton, who probably is covered by the county's insurance carrier.
County Sheriff Fred Frederking did not return calls seeking comment.
Attorney Trish Murphy, who filed the suit, said Shipman was a "contract nurse," meaning she was employed by an outside nursing agency, and the arrest happened on her third night of work at the hospital. Murphy said Shipman was charged with obstructing a police officer and obstructing service of process for failing to identify herself. Those charges were later dropped, Murphy said.
"She couldn't lock up the medications or look after the patients she was responsible for," Murphy said of the arrest.
Shipman is from Johnson County, Ill., Murphy said. The suit seeks $1 million for pain, humiliation, emotional distress and loss of income and $1 million for punitive damages.
Steve Eaton, chairman of the board at Sparta Community Hospital, said he recalled the incident but could not remember any details.
When Sparta Community Hospital officials refused to let a Randolph County sheriff's deputy serve a protective order on a drugged elderly patient last year, the deputy arrested a nurse, handcuffed her and took her to jail, the nurse claims in a lawsuit seeking $2 million.
Karen Shipman filed suit in federal court in East St. Louis on March 24, claiming she was hauled to jail on April 28, 2005, because the deputy said "it was not possible for him to arrest the director of nursing or the on-call physician."
According to the lawsuit, Deputy Eric Hamilton tried to serve court papers to an elderly man who was "asleep, medicated, and on intravenous therapy in the intensive care unit." The on-call doctor said the patient wasn't going anywhere and the deputy could come back in the morning.
The lawsuit states Shipman was "the only registered nurse on duty at the time of her arrest," although her lawyer said Thursday that other medical assistants with less training were working that night. She is suing Hamilton, who probably is covered by the county's insurance carrier.
County Sheriff Fred Frederking did not return calls seeking comment.
Attorney Trish Murphy, who filed the suit, said Shipman was a "contract nurse," meaning she was employed by an outside nursing agency, and the arrest happened on her third night of work at the hospital. Murphy said Shipman was charged with obstructing a police officer and obstructing service of process for failing to identify herself. Those charges were later dropped, Murphy said.
"She couldn't lock up the medications or look after the patients she was responsible for," Murphy said of the arrest.
Shipman is from Johnson County, Ill., Murphy said. The suit seeks $1 million for pain, humiliation, emotional distress and loss of income and $1 million for punitive damages.
Steve Eaton, chairman of the board at Sparta Community Hospital, said he recalled the incident but could not remember any details.