Six weeks ago, we reported on how Kings County Hospital let a patient die while staffers stood and watched. The patient had psychiatric concerns. We have no idea what happened to the humanity of those staffers (who are hopefully long since gone from the hospital and are having trouble finding gainful employment at a new hospital). We also thought such tragedies would be a wakeup call to all hospitals to re-evaluate their procedures and ensure patient care and monitoring is a top priority.
Sadly, I guess the news didn’t make it down to North Carolina:
A mental patient died after workers at a North Carolina hospital left him in a chair for 22 hours without feeding him or helping him use the bathroom, said federal officials who have threatened to cut off the facility’s funding. […]
An investigator’s report released Monday found that 50-year-old Steven Sabock died in April after he at one point choked on medication and had been left sitting in a chair for close to a day at the facility about 50 miles southeast of Raleigh. Surveillance video showed hospital staff watching television and playing cards just a few feet away.
A state spokesperson said the incident was “isolated,” but how do they really know how isolated such occurrences are (especially those that result not in death, but in near misses and go unreported)? It’s also little consolation to the human being whose life was lost due to the state’s willful neglect of this patient in their care.
Two incidents in 6 weeks in the country is not a good sign, considering both resulted in people’s deaths. Many will just wave away these deaths since they occurred to people with mental illness. But a human being’s life is not the sum of their illness.
To dismiss such neglect is to dismiss the dignity and sanctity of human life itself.
And if I were you, you should stay away from hospitals like Kings County and Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro, NC. In my opinion, these hospitals — and any that treats patients like so much chattel — should be closed down or severely punished for their reprehensible behavior.
Read the full Associated Press story: NC man dies after waiting 22 hours at hospital
(12 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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10 Responses to “Another Psychiatric Patient Dies in a Hospital Due to Staff Neglect” (Pingbacks/trackbacks not shown below)
When will we ever learn??? I guess you can apply that statement to various areas of the field of psychology. But I mean…for God sake we truly are failing patients and their families. Something has to change; there should indeed be an outcry.
There has been too many stories about abuse in mental health facilities, inattentiveness, inadequate care and concern, and also insufficient funding. Are we just not yet tired of this same story-line in our newspapers? We certainly should be by now.
Violet at 7:38 pm on
August 20th, 2008
This type of behavior by staff and administration will never change unless mental illness is seen to be as serious as any other illness. There should be no stigma associated with mental illness, and it should be treated as the serious concern that it is. No one with any type of illness should wait hours and hours to be seen by a doctor. This is unacceptable and needs to change. Our country is continuing on a path that will lead to third world medical care right in our own borders; this trend needs to be reversed before it is too late. It is already too late for these two patients.
Very true.
If we don’t change this destructive pattern that we’ve created for ourselves our children and their children will become the recipeints of unnecessary maltreatment.
Unfortunately we have certainly given medical conditions more attention than we have given mental conditions. Because of this we are becoming a huge disservice to the one’s who need us.
It’s sad, just so sad and more so because it could one day be someone we love.
sara jacobs at 11:36 am on
August 21st, 2008
we have a person in our small low-income apartment community who has emotional disabilities. I need to know how to handle her high maintenance needs. She needs to talk a lot. There are times she is delusional and then turns against certain people–even me. She needs help, like more friends to talk to, etc–but I’m too physically injured and disabled to be that friend for her as are most of the people here. How do we deal with keeping her part of this community?? and without getting drained ourselves?? I welcome any ideas. thank you. sara
Hi Sara,
I found your post quite interesting because I’ve come across people just like your neighbor and have asked the same question. I’m no real expert when it comes to adults; however, as a student of counseling/clinical psychology I do work with children and their parents so perhaps I can offer some tips.
You say that your neighbor needs to talk a great deal which can weigh on your ability to listen, offer support, or even converse because she’s emotionally draining to you. In this case, it might be appropriate to let her know that you are not able to keep up and that this might impede your ability to be of any moral support. I am by no means saying that you should be rude but perhaps just express your needs, especially if she is a friend. A conversation is a reciprocal activity.
This person may also need to speak with a therapist if she hasn’t already. I would consider the situation in great depth before mentioning this. The person in my life who was like your neighbor did not only weigh on me too heavily emotionally but also turned against me when I tried to help. This may not be a healthy relationship, especially if she has delusions and is unable to recognize you or your concerns.
Lastly, if this individual becomes too much of a problem, you may have to distance yourself. Some people are simply hard to get along with. I’ve had to distance myself in the past from people who are not able to respect or consider my space.
Perhaps some of the article on this site, one in particular is “How to Spot a Narcissist” by Samuel Lopez or “Dr. Sam” can help.
If you also sign up with this site or www.mentalhelp.net you can submit questions to licensed social workers and/or psychologists who grapple with these types of questions daily!
Good luck! I’m sorry if I couldn’t be of more help. 
Dano MacNamarrah at 12:02 pm on
August 26th, 2008
I wrote about the homicide at King’s County on my blog. I raised the issue of the disparity in our society in how it treats the mentally ill vs. the physically ill. We need to bring about a change in this attitude and soon, before more people needlessly die.
To read my post, please go to:
http://danomacnamarrah.blogspot.com/2008/07/ive-wanted-to-write-about-this-for-some.html
Thank you for opening the eyes of so many to this horrific treatment of those who cannot speak for themselves.
Dano MacNamarrah.
Dee at 1:08 am on
August 28th, 2008
What often passes for mental health care in the United States is horrific and something our nation of which our nation - especially those in health care - should be ashamed. Mental health care, even crisis care where people most need good care, is all too often a hot bed of care providers who are incompetent, unprofessional, unethical, uncaring and too much of the time the attitude is that no one cares because “it’s just the mental patients”. One huge part of the problem is that in too many cases, no one will hear our complaints until it reaches a point where it can involve our surviving family members, attorneys and perhaps the media. Change is needed long before such huge problems - like death - have a chance to occur.
The sad fact is, that the way the system operates creates as much if not more damage than mental illness itself. It perpetuates stigma when providers (like one county mental health agency I once used) intentionally over-medicate EVERYONE just because “the public needs protected from the mentally ill, because we have no way of knowing who will become violent, when or why”. It creates added disabilities when treating psychiatrists (or the mental health patient’s primary care doctor) doesn’t do the necessary lab work, does the lab work but doesn’t pay attention to it or doesn’t care about developing neurological problems. It chases the mentally ill away from the care they NEED when they hear of stories of bad care and can’t find a story of good care - and let’s admit it, it can be VERY hard to find a good psychiatrist or counselor. Personally, between moving several times and the revolving door policies of public mental health, I’ve had 13 psychiatrists and a similar number of counselors in the last 5 years - but I’d only recommend two psychiatrists (both seen outside public mental health) and one counselor (also seen outside public mental health)…and I wouldn’t at all recommend the hospital in which I’ve stayed (just for general incompetence and its prevalence of rubber stamping all patients with one particular diagnosis).
If we could simply provide the mentally ill with timely access to appropriate care (as in the right care, provided by provided by competent, ethical, caring, professionals) fewer of us would be totally disabled, more of us would be willing to accept treatment, and more of us would be able to work and blend in so well no one would know who we were unless outed ourselves.
leaann at 9:20 pm on
August 31st, 2008
i would like to say it doesnt suprise me outside of the hosp. people doesnt really care about people so why should it be any different in the hosp. ( it should be a big different) but its not most mental ill doesnt really not whats going on all the time and its a time when some people can take advantage.i guess it makes them feel good because it makes them feel incontrol.
leaann at 9:20 pm on
August 31st, 2008
i would like to say it doesnt suprise me outside of the hosp. people doesnt really care about people so why should it be any different in the hosp. ( it should be a big different) but its not most mental ill doesnt really not whats going on all the time and its a time when some people can take advantage.i guess it makes them feel good because it makes them feel incontrol.
leaann at 9:21 pm on
August 31st, 2008
i would like to say it doesnt suprise me outside of the hosp. people doesnt really care about people so why should it be any different in the hosp. ( it should be a big different) but its not most mental ill doesnt really not whats going on all the time and its a time when some people can take advantage.i guess it makes them feel good because it makes them feel incontrol.
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When will we ever learn??? I guess you can apply that statement to various areas of the field of psychology. But I mean…for God sake we truly are failing patients and their families. Something has to change; there should indeed be an outcry.
There has been too many stories about abuse in mental health facilities, inattentiveness, inadequate care and concern, and also insufficient funding. Are we just not yet tired of this same story-line in our newspapers? We certainly should be by now.
This type of behavior by staff and administration will never change unless mental illness is seen to be as serious as any other illness. There should be no stigma associated with mental illness, and it should be treated as the serious concern that it is. No one with any type of illness should wait hours and hours to be seen by a doctor. This is unacceptable and needs to change. Our country is continuing on a path that will lead to third world medical care right in our own borders; this trend needs to be reversed before it is too late. It is already too late for these two patients.
Very true.
If we don’t change this destructive pattern that we’ve created for ourselves our children and their children will become the recipeints of unnecessary maltreatment.
Unfortunately we have certainly given medical conditions more attention than we have given mental conditions. Because of this we are becoming a huge disservice to the one’s who need us.
It’s sad, just so sad and more so because it could one day be someone we love.
we have a person in our small low-income apartment community who has emotional disabilities. I need to know how to handle her high maintenance needs. She needs to talk a lot. There are times she is delusional and then turns against certain people–even me. She needs help, like more friends to talk to, etc–but I’m too physically injured and disabled to be that friend for her as are most of the people here. How do we deal with keeping her part of this community?? and without getting drained ourselves?? I welcome any ideas. thank you. sara
Hi Sara,
I found your post quite interesting because I’ve come across people just like your neighbor and have asked the same question. I’m no real expert when it comes to adults; however, as a student of counseling/clinical psychology I do work with children and their parents so perhaps I can offer some tips.
You say that your neighbor needs to talk a great deal which can weigh on your ability to listen, offer support, or even converse because she’s emotionally draining to you. In this case, it might be appropriate to let her know that you are not able to keep up and that this might impede your ability to be of any moral support. I am by no means saying that you should be rude but perhaps just express your needs, especially if she is a friend. A conversation is a reciprocal activity.
This person may also need to speak with a therapist if she hasn’t already. I would consider the situation in great depth before mentioning this. The person in my life who was like your neighbor did not only weigh on me too heavily emotionally but also turned against me when I tried to help. This may not be a healthy relationship, especially if she has delusions and is unable to recognize you or your concerns.
Lastly, if this individual becomes too much of a problem, you may have to distance yourself. Some people are simply hard to get along with. I’ve had to distance myself in the past from people who are not able to respect or consider my space.
Perhaps some of the article on this site, one in particular is “How to Spot a Narcissist” by Samuel Lopez or “Dr. Sam” can help.
If you also sign up with this site or www.mentalhelp.net you can submit questions to licensed social workers and/or psychologists who grapple with these types of questions daily!
Good luck! I’m sorry if I couldn’t be of more help.
I wrote about the homicide at King’s County on my blog. I raised the issue of the disparity in our society in how it treats the mentally ill vs. the physically ill. We need to bring about a change in this attitude and soon, before more people needlessly die.
To read my post, please go to:
http://danomacnamarrah.blogspot.com/2008/07/ive-wanted-to-write-about-this-for-some.html
Thank you for opening the eyes of so many to this horrific treatment of those who cannot speak for themselves.
Dano MacNamarrah.
What often passes for mental health care in the United States is horrific and something our nation of which our nation - especially those in health care - should be ashamed. Mental health care, even crisis care where people most need good care, is all too often a hot bed of care providers who are incompetent, unprofessional, unethical, uncaring and too much of the time the attitude is that no one cares because “it’s just the mental patients”. One huge part of the problem is that in too many cases, no one will hear our complaints until it reaches a point where it can involve our surviving family members, attorneys and perhaps the media. Change is needed long before such huge problems - like death - have a chance to occur.
The sad fact is, that the way the system operates creates as much if not more damage than mental illness itself. It perpetuates stigma when providers (like one county mental health agency I once used) intentionally over-medicate EVERYONE just because “the public needs protected from the mentally ill, because we have no way of knowing who will become violent, when or why”. It creates added disabilities when treating psychiatrists (or the mental health patient’s primary care doctor) doesn’t do the necessary lab work, does the lab work but doesn’t pay attention to it or doesn’t care about developing neurological problems. It chases the mentally ill away from the care they NEED when they hear of stories of bad care and can’t find a story of good care - and let’s admit it, it can be VERY hard to find a good psychiatrist or counselor. Personally, between moving several times and the revolving door policies of public mental health, I’ve had 13 psychiatrists and a similar number of counselors in the last 5 years - but I’d only recommend two psychiatrists (both seen outside public mental health) and one counselor (also seen outside public mental health)…and I wouldn’t at all recommend the hospital in which I’ve stayed (just for general incompetence and its prevalence of rubber stamping all patients with one particular diagnosis).
If we could simply provide the mentally ill with timely access to appropriate care (as in the right care, provided by provided by competent, ethical, caring, professionals) fewer of us would be totally disabled, more of us would be willing to accept treatment, and more of us would be able to work and blend in so well no one would know who we were unless outed ourselves.
i would like to say it doesnt suprise me outside of the hosp. people doesnt really care about people so why should it be any different in the hosp. ( it should be a big different) but its not most mental ill doesnt really not whats going on all the time and its a time when some people can take advantage.i guess it makes them feel good because it makes them feel incontrol.
i would like to say it doesnt suprise me outside of the hosp. people doesnt really care about people so why should it be any different in the hosp. ( it should be a big different) but its not most mental ill doesnt really not whats going on all the time and its a time when some people can take advantage.i guess it makes them feel good because it makes them feel incontrol.
i would like to say it doesnt suprise me outside of the hosp. people doesnt really care about people so why should it be any different in the hosp. ( it should be a big different) but its not most mental ill doesnt really not whats going on all the time and its a time when some people can take advantage.i guess it makes them feel good because it makes them feel incontrol.
