Death of nurse at ‘violent’ hostel to be investigated
Health Minister Makis Voridis on Monday ordered an investigation into how a male nurse, who is a father of two, died at a psychiatric hostel for minors in Pallini, northeast of Athens, following a violent brawl between two patients over the weekend.
The incident occurred on Saturday night when the two patients are said to have scuffled at least twice. In the first case, the two female nurses who had been on duty intervened, leading to one of them being injured. When the male nurse took over for the night shift, he reported the incident to police, according to sources. He was found dead shortly afterward by one of the female nurses who had been in another part of the hostel consulting with a doctor. A coroner was to determine the cause of his death.
According to the union representing staff of the Sismanogleio Hospital, under whose auspices the Pallini hostel operates, such violent episodes are not uncommon at the facility and police are often called in to intervene.
The union has complained about “operational problems” at the hostel several times and claims that transfers of youths with behavioral problems there are “illegal” as the facility is not properly equipped to deal with them. A brawl between another two inmates last year resulted in a nurse being injured.
