A woman in New Jersey has been charged after allegedly throwing an IV bag at and punching a physician at Christ Hospital in Jersey City, N.J., according to a report from The Jersey Journal.
In the act of throwing the IV bag, Laporsche Ransom also exposed the physician to bodily fluids and possibly bloodborne pathogens, according to the criminal compliant.
Ms. Ransom has been charged with attempting to cause bodily injury to a healthcare worker. Her case will be heard in pre-indictment court, according to The Jersey Journal, and she was released on a summons.
Violence against healthcare workers is a common problem throughout the U.S. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 70 percent of reported workplace assaults between 2011 and 2013 took place in healthcare and social service settings. The American Medical Association recently adopted a policy asking the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to require healthcare employers to establish violence prevention programs.