Heartbreaking photo of nurse with swollen eyes after being beaten before profession honor day

(Dan Tri) - The image of a male medical worker with swollen eyes, sitting and listening to the apology of the patient's relative who assaulted him before the day honoring the nursing profession, made viewers "heartbroken".

Recently, Nam Dinh Provincial Police have canceled the decision to temporarily detain and apply preventive measures to prohibit leaving the place of residence for NVT, the subject who assaulted medical staff at Nam Dinh Provincial General Hospital.

The reason is because the authorities found that T. had good relatives, no criminal record, was a first-time offender, and actively cooperated with the authorities.

Photo of nurse with swollen eyes causes "internet storm"

Immediately after being released on bail, NVT went to apologize to the Nam Dinh Provincial General Hospital and to nurse NVH (the person who was assaulted).

Notably, at the time mentioned above, nurse NVH's eyes were still swollen and bruised, the result of being beaten while on duty to treat a critically ill patient. However, he and the hospital sympathized and accepted the apology of the attacker.

The close-up photo of nurse H.'s face was then posted on many social networking sites, causing a "storm" and generating many emotions from the community.

The photo of a nurse with swollen eyes accepting an apology from her attacker has caused a "storm on social media" (Photo: Social Network).

A group of nursing professionals shared the above photo with the caption: "A heartbreaking photo of a nurse, as Nurses' Day approaches", attracting tens of thousands of likes and thousands of sympathetic comments.

Many opinions say that there should be more safety protection solutions to help doctors and nurses feel secure in their professional practice when on emergency duty.

Speaking to Dan Tri reporter, doctor PHTh., who was insulted and assaulted by the biological father of a child patient while working at the Emergency Department, Gia Dinh People's Hospital (HCMC) in July 2022, said he had worked with the authorities for a long time to demand justice.

By mid-2023, Binh Thanh District Police had issued a decision to prosecute the case and prosecute D.QB (the person who assaulted Dr. Th.) for disturbing public order. The case was then brought to trial in court.

The moment Dr. Th. was assaulted while treating a child with a fish bone stuck in his throat in July 2022 (Photo: Hospital).

According to Dr. Th., the key to dealing with the above situation is that the law must be strict and deterrent to those who assault medical staff who are saving lives. In addition, leaders of the health sector need to show concern through concrete actions and practical policies to protect those in their own industry.

"I see that the current law has provisions on cases where medical examination and treatment can be refused, but it is very difficult to apply in practice. I have witnessed colleagues who did the above to protect themselves, then were reminded by the hospital, even had their salary deducted.

Many places have the mentality of "wanting to keep things smooth", so big things become small, small things are considered non-existent...", Dr. Th. worried.

What to do to avoid patient conflicts and assaults on doctors?

Dr. Nguyen Hong Vu, who used to work at the City of Hope National Cancer Research Institute (USA), said that violence against medical staff is a burning and increasingly alarming problem in society.

This is not only a violation of the law, but also a serious insult to those who are working day and night to protect public health.

To completely prevent this situation, Dr. Vu proposed implementing 3 solutions. First, strengthen security at medical facilities, by arranging professional security forces, trained to handle emergency situations; install surveillance camera systems and alarm buttons at "hot spots" such as the Emergency Department.

Second, apply strict legal sanctions, including criminal and civil sanctions. Third, enhance communication between doctors and patients and their families; ensure transparency in the medical examination and treatment process, to avoid feelings of abandonment or unfairness.

Many opinions say that the law needs to be strict to act as a deterrent to those who assault medical staff (Photo taken from camera).

Reporting at a scientific conference in Ho Chi Minh City, Professor Bruce Boman, Concord Mental Health Center (Sydney, Australia), said that high-risk subjects for attacks in the medical industry are young doctors, nurses, frontline administrative staff; medical staff in the Emergency and Psychiatric departments, or people working at state hospitals and provincial hospitals.

Notably, perpetrators of violence and assault against medical staff are often family members rather than patients, with typical signs of agitation.

If this unfortunate situation occurs, doctors and nurses need to find ways to reduce stress. The ultimate goal is to get a full medical evaluation of the patient being treated.

There are several options for healthcare workers to choose from when dealing with an agitated subject, such as calling security according to hospital procedures; "de-escalating" with the subject.

In cases of force majeure, the use of drugs and "forceful measures" are the last options, but hospitals need to have procedures and medical staff must be thoroughly trained.

Experts conclude that health care workers need to treat patients and their families with respect and courtesy, provide information and answer their questions clearly. Involving patients and their families in the decision-making process is an effective way to avoid conflict and agitation.

In response to International Midwifery Day (May 5) and International Nurses Day (May 12), the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health calls on medical facilities in the area to:

- Organize communication activities, seminars, and professional competitions to honor midwives and nurses and spread positive messages to the community.

- Invest in training, professional development, soft skills and management to improve the quality of care.

- Improve working conditions and protect the mental health of midwives and nurses.

- Promote the application of information technology to reduce administrative burden and increase patient care time.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/dau-long-buc-anh-dieu-duong-sung-mat-vi-bi-danh-truoc-ngay-ton-vinh-nghe-20250512020744581.htm