SEATTLE (AP) — The Associated Press has learned that a patient at Washington state's largest psychiatric hospital vaulted over a nurse's station, knocked a nurse to the floor, choked her and bit part of her ear off.
Sunday's assault is the latest in a series of attacks on Western State Hospital health care workers.
Hospital spokeswoman Kathy Spears told staff in an email obtained by The Associated Press about the attack and said the nurse was hospitalized but did not disclose her condition.
Willie Saw, a nursing supervisor, told AP that part of the nurse's ear lobe was bitten off by the patient.
He said it will need to be re-attached with surgery.
Saw said this was the patient's sixth assault on staff since he moved to the ward six months ago.
