Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Hospitals On Edge As Details Emerge In Shooting That Killed 2 Medical Workers
CBS News DFW: Hospitals Ramp Up Security After Methodist Health Center Shooting
Healthcare workers are on edge following the shooting at Methodist Health Center on Saturday. CBS 11 learned local hospitals are ramping up security in light of the deadly shooting. Staff members said they've long advocated for their safety and security well before this shooting, saying violence against healthcare workers has been on the rise. ... Workplace violence has been a serious issue for hospitals since the pandemic. (Wainwright, 10/24)
Dallas Morning News: Gunman Reloaded Weapon, Was Leaving Room After Killing Medical Workers, Dallas Chief Says
A gunman who killed two medical workers this weekend at Methodist Dallas Medical Center reloaded his weapon and was leaving a room in the building’s labor and delivery wing when a hospital police officer shot him in the leg, forcing him to retreat, Dallas police Chief Eddie García said Monday during a news conference. (Smith, 10/24)
ABC News: Parolee Charged In Fatal Shooting Of 2 Dallas Hospital Workers: Officials
A man who was recently paroled after serving a sentence for robbery is now facing capital murder charges stemming from Saturday's shooting at a Dallas hospital that left two employees dead, including a nurse, officials said. ... Dr. Serena Bumpus, CEO of the Texas Nurses Association, called the shooting "unacceptable." "No person should fear for their life for merely going to work, especially a nurse or healthcare worker whose passion is to help others heal," Bumpus said in a statement. "We hope our legislators understand that we need to protect our healthcare workers." (Deliso and Hutchinson, 10/24)
The two victims have been identified —
Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Employees Killed In Dallas TX Hospital Shooting Identified
Patient case manager Jacqueline Pokuaa walked late on Saturday morning into a room at Methodist Dallas Medical Center on a routine matter. Nestor Hernandez, the father of a newborn in the room, stood and shot the 45-year-old woman dead, police said. Nurse Katie Flowers, 63, heard the shot and looked into the room. From the door, Hernandez fired into the hall, killing her, too, police said. (Clarridge and Ramirez Jr., 10/24)
WFAA.com: Both Victims Who Were Shot, Killed At Dallas Methodist Hospital Identified
Jacqueline Pokuaa, 45, was from Ghana and moved to the U.S. with four friends over 20 years ago. The Ghana Nurses Association described her as friendly with a big smile. "This is a big tragedy in the family, the community, in the medical field," said Aba Amprofi-Halm of the nurses association. "When these is chaos, she's very calm and that's her personality. And that's what she died doing... she died helping." Amprofi-Halm said Pokuaa leaves behind one son. A nurse at the hospital told WFAA that Katie Flowers, 63, who went by the name Annette, was a "great caring nurse who love her job." "She loved her daughters and grand-babies. She recently renovated her house and was looking forward to retirement," the nurse said about Flowers. (10/24)
