A hospital patient with dementia got a broken face. A nursing assistant got arrested
A Tampa area nursing assistant faces a felony battery charge after a hospital patient with dementia needed surgery for a fractured orbital bone.
In response to Duwayne Robertson’s alleged punch, the Florida Department of Health hit Roberton’s license with an emergency suspension order (ESO). The ESO said Kindred Hospital fired Robertson.
Robertson has pleaded not guilty in the criminal case.
According to the order and court documents, Robertson worked at a Kindred Hospital in Tampa when he had to care for Roger Harper, a 63-year-old with dementia and “known to be combative.”
The order said that on Nov. 11, the five-foot-five, 190-pound Roberton punched Harper in the face. One of Robertson’s coworkers got between the two and stayed there for half an hour.
“Mr. Roberton requested that the staff member not report the incident to management,” the ESO said. “Mr. Robertson lied about the cause of [Harper’s] injuries to management.”
Despite Roberton’s plea, the other Kindred staffer on the scene gave her account of the incident to management and Kindred management fired Robertson.
Meanwhile, Harper needed surgery to fix a broken face.
This story was originally published February 24, 2020 at 7:54 AM with the headline "A hospital patient with dementia got a broken face. A nursing assistant got arrested."
