Paramedic in Črnomelj shoved three times against ambulance while treating a patient
Police are not naming the attacker, while the health centre says staff hear threats up to three times a week.
Illustration: AI
Paramedics from the Črnomelj Health Centre arrived in the village of Lokve pri Črnomlju on Tuesday, 29 September, at around 7 pm, where a person's health had worsened. While the patient was being treated, one of the people present voiced disagreement and obstructed the medical staff. He grabbed one of the paramedics by the shoulders and shoved her three times towards the ambulance.
According to the Novo mesto Police Directorate, officers then helped the paramedics transport the patient to hospital. They conducted interviews and sent the paramedic to a doctor, who found that she had suffered minor injuries.
Police are not yet revealing who the attacker is, citing personal data protection and the interests of the proceedings. An investigation is under way.
Danica Milković, assistant director for nursing at the Črnomelj Health Centre, confirmed the minor physical injuries to the STA (the Slovenian Press Agency) and added that the incident also shook the paramedic psychologically. Besides the police, the health centre also notified the Municipality of Črnomelj and the Ministry of Health.
For the Črnomelj health centre, this is not an isolated case. Milković listed cases in which a patient or companion had already slapped a nurse in the face at a clinic, and someone had spat at an employee. But threats cause the most trouble.
"Most often, however, employees encounter threats in their work, including threats linked to extortion, as well as verbal attacks. Such incidents occur up to three times a week and thus represent a recurring burden and a significant risk to the safety and well-being of employees." (translated)
The incident was first reported by the portal Moja Dolenjska. Slovenske novice, citing Nova24TV, writes about a worse version: the man allegedly grabbed the paramedic by the neck and banged her head against the vehicle's door, and told her that they would be held responsible if the patient's condition worsened. The outlet words this with "allegedly". Police did not state these details in their statement, and the STA texts do not mention them.
Slovenske novice also stress that it is still unclear how the case will be legally classified and what measures will follow against the alleged attacker.
Sources
- Med nudenjem pomoči obolelemu napadli in lažje poškodovali reševalko ZD Črnomelj
- V Črnomlju med nudenjem pomoči napadli in lažje poškodovali reševalko
- Šok med intervencijo v romskem naselju pri Črnomlju: med nudenjem pomoči napadli reševalko
- Napad na reševalko iz ZD Črnomelj
- V Črnomlju med nudenjem pomoči napadli reševalko
- Med zagotavljanjem pomoči v Črnomlju napadli in poškodovali reševalko
Saj ni res. is an independent Slovenian newsroom. This is an English translation of our Slovenian story; the Slovenian original is authoritative.
