Norma G., Registered Nurse
County Jail, Bakersfield, California, 11.8.14
One early morning, I saw a female inmate who complained of a severe athlete’s foot/ toenail fungal infection. I could only do so much for her until a doctor became available to order a prescription. When told about her treatment, she became angry.
As the patient was leaving the clinic room, she grabbed a plastic chair, swung it, and threw it at me. It was a good thing I was looking. I caught the chair before it hit me.
I screamed, but there was no guard present because he had gone next door to log his suicide watch cells.
The patient left the clinic and went outside, sat down on a bench with the other waiting inmates, and they all started laughing. My supervisor’s response was, “You lost your patience and professional ability to handle the problem.”