Nevada hospital under investigation after patients file claims that psych ward employees abused them

A Nevada hospital is being investigated over allegations of physical abuse of its psychiatric ward patients. 

The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services said it is now looking into two complaints lodged against the North Vista Hospital in North Las Vegas, just months after a local newspaper revealed allegations of abuse experienced by several patients in the psychiatric ward.

A spokesperson for the state agency told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the investigations into the two complaints — received on May 22 and June 7 and involving ‘the physical environment, care of patients and maintenance of records’ — are currently in progress. 

North Vista Hospital in North Las Vegas, Nevada, is under investigation after two complaints were filed against them. It’s believed the complaints are related to allegations of physical abuse against psychiatric ward patients

The state’s Health Care Quality and Compliance agency is said to be conducing interviews and observations to determine whether there is any validity to the complaints.    

The agency said it wouldn’t release the details of the complaints until the investigations have been completed.  

A hospital worker, who spoke anonymously, told the newspaper that the complaints being investigated were related to abuse of mentally-ill patients. 

The worker alleged that North Vista mental health tech Darnell Bumpus, who is also an amateur MMA fighter, had beaten up patients. 

Once, after Bumpus allegedly ‘choked a patient out,’ the worker said, they ‘had to give him a code blue,’ indicating the patient needed immediate medical attention. 

Afterwards, the worker said that the hospital’s employees ‘got together’ to ensure that their report about the incident ‘said what they wanted it to say.’

The Review-Journal had previously reported that Bumpus allegedly tackled patient Jacob Delgado, 23, who was having an anxiety attack, and put him in a headlock before sedating him. 

Bumpus declined to comment, referring the newspaper to the hospital instead.

In March, the hospital had defended Bumpus, stating that no complaints had been filed against him.  

An unnamed hospital worker and a patient had alleged that mental health tech Darnell Bumpus had beaten up patients. Bumpus did not comment on the allegations

An unnamed hospital worker and a patient had alleged that mental health tech Darnell Bumpus had beaten up patients. Bumpus did not comment on the allegations

Another patient, David McCovy, who had been admitted to the hospital after having a panic attack, said that hospital psych ward employees had punched him and thrown him to the ground, leaving him with a black eye and scratches.  

McCovy now faces misdemeanor charges of assault and trespassing, after police were called to the hospital. According to redacted court documents obtained by the Review-Journal, hospital employees accused him of being ‘verbally and physically combative’ during the incident. 

Delgado, McCovy and two unnamed hospital staffers also told the Review-Journal that Bumpus and other mental health techs had made fun of patients. They also accused supervisors of covering for their staffers. 

The hospital had previously been come under fire from relatives of patients who claimed that their suicidal family members died because they were released from care too soon. 

In 2015, Kenneth Robert Risher, 37, who had been admitted after claiming that he wanted to drive his car into a pole, was admitted to North Vista and released within hours. He succeeded in killing himself by driving into a pole shortly afterwards, according to reports at the time. 

And, in February 2018, Rayshauna Roy, 33, died less than 24 hours after the hospital apparently allowed a consultant, with no professional medial training, to transfer her to an unlicensed group home three days after she was admitted to the hospital. Roy was bipolar and suicidal. the Review-Journal reported.       

When reached for a comment Thursday, a hospital spokesperson told the Review-Journal that, ‘North Vista Hospital considers patient safety a top priority.’    

If the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services finds that the complaints lodged against the hospital are valid, the hospital could face sanctions including monetary fines, correction action plans or closure.



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk