Choked, punched, bitten: Nurses recount attacks by patients

Violence against doctors, nurses, and other health-care providers is on the rise; federal statistics record an average of 50 such attacks each day in the United States. That's likely an underestimate. Hospitals aren't required to report such incidents, and nurses say they often "shrug them off," or are discouraged from reporting them. Some nurses say they get little or no backup if they want to press charges. "Patients who attack health-care providers often get off scot-free because hospitals don't want to take action against these attackers," said Jonathan Bestwick, a registered nurse.