Baffin hospital staff assaulted in incidents last week

MICHAELA RODRIGUE
Nunatsiaq News

IQALUIT — Two attacks on Baffin Regional Hospital staff in one week have caused hospital officials to beef up security.

A nurse and a doctor were assaulted during an incident on April 27, RCMP say.

Police were called to the hospital at approximately 10 p.m., when a nurse was attacked by a man. The nurse was behind a counter at the hospital’s nursing station, said Const. Kevin Craig of the Iqaluit RCMP detachment.

A female doctor in the hospital tried to help the nurse, but was also attacked, Craig said.

The nurse had a mark on her face after the assault and was sent home, Craig said. Craig could not confirm if the man was a patient.

The man was chased from the hospital by cleaning staff before RCMP arrived, Craig said.

A man was later located in the town and charged, Craig said.

A second attack occurred three days later on April 30 at approximately 7 a.m.

RCMP were again called to the hospital after a patient “pushed” a nurse in the ward, Craig said.

“(A man) woke up in the morning. He started yelling and screaming and he was aggressive with the staff and he assaulted one of the nurses,” Craig said.

Hospital officials asked that the names of the nurses and doctor not be released.

The hospital now plans to have 24-hour security on weekends, said Jarvis Hoult, chief executive officer of the Baffin Regional Health and Social Services Board.

“I’ve had my people meeting with security services this week, and with the staff,” Hoult said. “We’re concerned about the increase of aggression by patients against our staff,” he said.

The hospital may increase its private security throughout the week. But right now Hoult could only confirm that security will be beefed up during weekends.

“Our greatest risk are weekends and we will definitely be putting on 24-hour security on the weekends,” Hoult said.

RCMP have charged Jimmy Audlakjak, 18, of Qikiqtarjuaq with two counts of assault. He is scheduled to be in court on May 7 for a show cause hearing.

Audlakjak is being held at Baffin Correctional Centre due to three other outstanding charges, Craig said.

RCMP have also charged Iqaluit resident Johnny Mangitak, 23, with one count of assault. He was released on a promise to appear in court on May 28. He is expected to enter a plea on that date.