Nurse stabbed at Heywood Hospital, patient David Nichols charged with attempted murder
GARDNER – A 76-year-old man was ordered held on $100,000 cash bail Tuesday after police say he stabbed a nurse at Heywood Hospital in Gardner. It happened Monday around 8 p.m. in the hospital's emergency room.
David Nichols was arrested at the hospital. He's charged with attempted murder and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
At his arraignment Tuesday in Gardner District Court, prosecutors said the nurse went to adjust something when Nichols grabbed her by the arm and stabbed her in the neck with a pocket knife. He was arraigned from his bed at Heywood Hospital, hooked up to oxygen tubes.
"The defendant grabbed her by the neck with his left arm," said Assistant District Attorney Marc Dupuis in court. "She felt a laceration to her neck. She immediately screamed for help."
The police report included pictures of the pocket knife the 76-year-old allegedly used to slice the nurse's neck. Pictures also show a deep three-inch wound police say was dangerously near the nurse's carotid artery.
According to court documents, he told another nurse "I just need some air," and later told police "he knew what he did was wrong, but what the hospital was doing was wrong."
The nurse was taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester for treatment.
"Healthcare workers should not worry about if they're going to return home after their shift when they're walking in the door," said Karen Coughlin, an RN with the Massachusetts Nurses Association. She is pushing state lawmakers to require healthcare facilities to better protect nurses and give paid time off for them to recover. "There's a large majority of nurses that are working at the bedside, they've been witness or victim to more than one assault in their career, so it does take a toll," she said.
Nichols' defense attorney said he's dying of lung cancer and has been staying at his sister's home in Westminster under hospice care. "The doctor told him he has approximately six months to live," said attorney Brian DeMott.
Nichols was arraigned over video conference while attorneys were in the courtroom. Prosecutors asked for $100,000 cash bail while the defense argued he is not a flight risk and asked bail to be set at $1,000.
Prosecutors said Nichols has a 6-page criminal record including past assaults. The defense argued it has been 30 years since Nichols had any court involvement.
The judge ordered Nichols held on $100,000 bail. He's due back in court on July 14.
In a joint statement, Gardner police and Heywood Healthcare said violence against caregivers is "not acceptable."
"The Heywood staff are second to none," Heywood Healthcare CEO Rozanna Penney said in a statement. "Last night they demonstrated teamwork, compassion, cohesiveness and dedication to each other and to our community. Our primary responsibility as leaders is to take care of our staff, and we do not take this responsibility lightly."