SEIU Stalking, Harassing Nurses at Home--Is This the Face of a 'Progressive' Union?

Subject: SEIU failures

A recent article from the Las Vegas Review Journal indicates that the local SEIU chapter does nothing for nurses.

Just last month a major incident involving an assault of a nurse at UMC by a physician demonstrates the lack of support by the SEIU local of nurses is present.

Since CNA is in such a tight race at St. Rose, why not consider investigating the attached report regarding Dr. Smith's assault as a possible rally cry by CNA here in Nevada.

SEIU is asleep again...

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To: Mr. Harasim, LVRJ

RE: RN safety

Your recent article in the Sunday January 18, 2009 Review Journal regarding violence to nurses is just scratching the surface. As you pointed out: (1) "nurses suffer the brunt of violence"; (2) "Violence is getting much worse in health care" and (3) "72 percent of nurses do not feel safe in their workplace".

It is for this very reason I wish to provide additional support for your allegations regarding caregivers’ safety, especially from physicians. A little over a month ago in December, neurosurgeon Dr. William D. Smith from Western Regional Center for Brain & Spine Surgery assaulted a UMC employee. Dr. Smith accosted Elise Greenberg, R.N. while performing her duties in the UMC OR and in front of her fellow surgical team members, without provocation. These allegations certainly have substance, as witnesses to the incident, all interviewed by the UMC administration, did not dispute Dr. Smith's transgressions. Since that time Elise Greenberg RN has retained counsel and is rumored to be filling a $2,500,000 lawsuit.

In response, UMC enacted only a modest suspension of Dr. Smith for the next two days - hardly a harsh penalty! Yet this 48-hour suspension in fact confirms that an incident occurred. Unless Dr. Smith's uncontrolled behavior towards professionals is seriously addressed, it could be repeated in the future. At least Dr. James Tate lost his privileges as a trauma surgeon from UMC, after getting into a provoked scuffle with a family member of a patient. Is there a double standard when a physician assault produces only a two-day hiatus while a scuffle produces suspension? Interesting standards, don't you think?

Even if Dr. Smith moves on to other hospitals, he still leaves a trail of victims resulting from his aggression. Could a settlement by UMC and Clark County for this specific incident heal the emotional scars left after Dr. Smith's assault? Each day our nurses must concern themselves with violence in the work place. Surely a more forceful remedy must be rendered, which will deter other medical personnel from repeating Dr. Smith's behaviors. A brief check with the medical community and employees of HCA's Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center indicates that Dr. Smith was previously suspended from Sunrise Hospital for substance abuse. Why is it that this physician has not been suspended permanently from UMC and elsewhere? Does the revenue UMC derives from Dr. Smith justify his actions? Did anyone check to see if he relapsed? Was he impaired when he assaulted nurse Greenberg?

As you so capably pointed out, our medical professionals have enough to worry about. Especially in regard to violence and from within there own profession. Why the free pass for Dr. Smith? Is this yet another cover-up? Why should Dr. Smith not be banned permanently from continuing to practice at our county hospital and in all other medical facilities? Would any of the private hospitals discount his actions? I think not, as they would be held liable and could not hide behind government protection. All of his surgical cases for that time period were rescheduled. Will Dr. William D. Smith get a free pass again? Is the blind neglect and abuse of employees at UMC and elsewhere to continue? A two-day suspension has no economic penalty for Dr. Smith and allows him the ability to avoid the scrutiny of his colleagues and the media. How can UMC or any hospital recruit the best nurses, when without any consequences, a member of their medical staff attacks one of there own and gets a walk?

The County Commission is the ultimate oversight for UMC. Has the administration at UMC alerted Commissioners to this very serious issue regarding Dr. Smith? I would have also expected our Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners to also be involved. Yet, as evidenced by the saga of Dr. Dipak Desai and associates, I have little faith in the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners to do so.

Will our commissioners now walk down the same path that our medical board has traveled? How many more incidents need to occur? He is still practicing at UMC today. Dr. Dipak Desai and his associates implicated in the Endoscopy mess were connected to UMC and also allowed to continue performing procedures there, even though complaints had been filed. Perhaps if UMC management and Clark County Commissioners were proactive rather than reactive, we could all feel safer.

Dr. Smith caused a seven-car wreck on I-15 late last year, while driving to work. Did any one check if perhaps he was driving under the influence at that time? If an average citizen can find this information, why is it that Clark County Commissioners and UMC still have not acted? At the very least should not Dr. William D. Smith be removed from the UMC payroll? It surely seems time for our elected officials and UMC to act and protect our nurses from abuse by potentially impaired physicians.

Sincerely,

GWT

Henderson, NV 89014

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