Acadieville man accused of attacking nurse is charged with 2nd assault

A second charge of assault was laid Tuesdayagainst 69-year-old Randy Van Horlick, who was already charged with assaultafter an alleged attack on a registered nurse at the Dr.-Georges-L.-Dumont Hospital in Moncton.

Codiac RCMP arrested Van Horlick in connection with the secondalleged assault, against Teresa Thibault,on July 23. Thibault is an licensed practical nursewith Vitalit Health Network.

Georges Dumont Hospital nurseNatasha Poirier told the CBC in an earlier interviewthat she feared for her life March 11, when Van Horlick allegedly pulled her hair,grabbed her wrist and shook her arm, bent her fingers backand hit her head, causing her to lose consciousness.

In the interview June 12, Poirier said afemale licensedpractical nurse was hurt trying to stop thealleged assault.

Van Horlick, of Acadieville,about 100 kilometres north of Moncton, is not in custody and did not comment when he left Moncton provincial court Tuesday.

Van Horlick has not yet entered pleas, and neither charge has been tested in court.

Natasha Poirier was in court Tuesday butsaid she was unable to comment because her symptoms are aggravated by stress.

"She's having to go through the process all over again," said her brother, SbastienPoirier, "And when she comes to court it just brings up a lot of memories."

Poirier said he hopes this case can raise awareness surrounding violence in hospitals.

"They aren't armed, they don't have any defences. Instead what they're trying to do is care for patients."

Paula Doucet, president of the New Brunswick Nurses Union, was also in court when the second assault charge was laid.

"It just highlights the need to make our facilities safer in this province," she said.

Documents released by the union showthere were more than 2,000 code whitesat New Brunswick hospitals last year, almostdouble the number five years ago.Code whites are triggered whena health-care worker is under attackand all available security is called to that unit.

Changes coming

Johanne Roy, vice-president of Clinical Services at VitalitHealth Network, said small portable personal alarms are being made available.

"If staff askfor this button, they can wear it," she said. "They just press this button and it's very loud."

She also said the network is working on a policy of noting potentially violentpeople in the hospital.

"We're working to try to flag or identify patients or relativesor any member of the community."

These notes will be included on a patient's medical chart so all staff will know to take precautions.

Roy said the health network is talking tothe nurses union about implementation and expects to have written policiesin September.

Norma Melanson, Natasha Poirier's mother, said nurses have sufferedfrom violent patients for too long.

"We have to come forward and talk about these matters if we want to have social changes in regards to violence and abuse."