Union Says Nurse Was Strangled While Protecting Newborn Baby, Demands Action

The Ohio Nurses Association (ONA) is calling for action and accountability after a postpartum nurse at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center was allegedly strangled by a patient while trying to protect an infant during a violent incident inside the hospital.

According to Rick Lucas, president of the ONA and a former OSU nursing union leader, the attack happened around 6:50 p.m. on November 6 when the nurse stepped in to de-escalate a dangerous situation between a female patient and a male family member who was reportedly holding a newborn baby in his arms.

“She was trying to protect the baby,” Lucas said. “Instead, she was attacked and strangled.”

“Not One Person Asked If She Was Okay”

Lucas said that what happened after the assault was just as alarming. The nurse, who was pulled into the hallway by her shirt collar, was never evaluated in the emergency department, nor did anyone from management check on her after the incident.

“When she called me, she broke down again — not just because of the attack itself, but because no one asked her if she was okay,” Lucas said. “Not one person. That is an institutional failure of compassion.”

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Marti Leitch, chief spokesperson for Wexner Medical Center, later admitted that “steps in the post-event notification process were missed,” delaying access to support services until the next day. She said the hospital is now “correcting its process” to make sure this type of delay doesn’t happen again.

Security and Safety Concerns

Leitch confirmed that the baby was unharmed and that both hospital security and Ohio State police responded to the scene. The man involved was taken to the emergency department for evaluation because of his behavior.

However, Lucas said the hospital only called police after confirming the man’s name, and officers later revealed that they had already received a call about the same person the day before.

Now, the union is demanding the hospital:

• Preserve and release all security footage from the incident

• Conduct a full debriefing with administration

• Ban the man from returning to the hospital unless for medical care

• Provide the nurse with paid leave while she recovers
  
  

Leitch said employees in situations like this are informed of their right to press charges. NBC4 reported that Ohio State police are still determining whether charges will be filed.

A National Problem Nurses Know Too Well

For nurses, this story hits painfully close to home. Physical assaults, verbal abuse, and workplace violence are an everyday reality in hospitals across the U.S., particularly for bedside nurses who are often the first to intervene when patients or families escalate.

“This altercation is a troubling example of a persisting national problem,” said Leitch. “No one should face the threat of harm at work. We remain firmly committed to providing a safe and secure environment for everyone who comes to our facilities to work, learn, or receive care.”

Lucas and the ONA say they’re not backing down. They’re demanding that hospitals take real, visible steps to protect staff — not just policy updates or delayed apologies.

“This nurse did what nurses always do,” Lucas said. “She stepped in to protect a patient — and in doing so, she put herself in harm’s way. The least her hospital can do is stand up for her now.”

The ONA’s message is clear — nurses deserve better.

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