Nakia Girtman
By Ryan Yousefi
A patient was arrested after allegedly physically assaulting a nurse. The incident followed a barrage of violent outbursts and property damage caused since his arrival at the hospital days prior.
On May 21, Coral Springs Police received a call from Broward Health Coral Springs located at 3000 Coral Hills Drive. The victim on the scene was a nurse who had allegedly been physically battered by a patient while attempting to care for him.
The victim claims the patient Nakia Girtman, 37, elbowed her so hard in the chest that she was thrown against a wall and fell to the ground.
The alleged assault occurred as the nurse was attempting to change Girtman’s IV.
She alleges that as she entered Girtman’s room, he was lying on the hospital bed. She approached him, positioned herself along his right arm, where the IV was inserted and began to look at the area. As she was inspecting the IV, Girtman intentionally struck her, causing her to stumble backward and fall.
When police arrived, they encountered an enraged Girtman who was screaming profanities and demanding medication. Girtman was also demanding a new nurse, apparently upset that, he claims, she “did not knock first,” when she entered his room.
Girtman denied assaulting the nurse, claiming that when she arrived, he got out of his bed and refused treatment from her, as she was “not his nurse.”
Girtman later admitted that he knew the hospital indeed employed the nurse, and he “could knock her head off,” for not knocking first before entering his room.
This was reportedly not the first incident involving violence Girtman has had since being admitted to the Broward Health Coral Springs. On May 19, hospital staff claim Girtman broke an assortment of items, including his in-room television, phone, staff phones in the hallway, and an infusion pump.
According to the police report, the hospital is dealing with the damage at this time.
Girtman was placed under arrest and charged with battery on medical personnel. He was transported to the Coral Springs Police Department for booking and subsequently turned over to the Broward Sheriff’s Office to remain in custody.
More crime updates on Coral Springs Talk/Crime.
Author Profile
- Ryan Yousefi has lived in Coral Springs for over 30 years. He has worked as a writer for multiple outlets over the years, including the Miami New Times where he has covered sports and culture since 2013. He holds a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in Business Healthcare Management from Western Governors University.
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