“Palms West CEO decries 'unprovoked, senseless violence' in patient's beating of nurse”

…The CEO of HCA Florida Palms West Hospital on Tuesday, Feb. 25, called the Feb. 18 attack on a nurse an act of "unprovoked, senseless violence" and said "more must be done" to make healthcare workplaces safer.

"No healthcare worker should ever have to experience such violence," Jason Kimbrell said in an email to the Palms West staff in his first public comments on the incident…

Kimbrell, who has led the 204-bed hospital since 2021, encouraged the 1,200-plus Palms West's workers to urge their representatives to pass the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees Act that is now before Congress…

In his email, Kimbrell said Palms West "has a zero-tolerance policy toward workplace violence" and has taken recent steps to increasing "physical security measures." …

Kimbrell's comments come one day after an attorney representing Lal's family said Palms West lacked appropriate safety measures on the day of the attack…

A Palms West spokesperson has said Scantlebury had come to the hospital seeking care for an ailment that the hospital has declined to specify….

… he made reference to Lal's gender, race or religion before the attack. It did not specify which one. Lal is of Indian descent….