Woman Punches Nurse, Says Nurses Should Expect to Be Hit by Patients

A patient at a mental health ward in Florida defended punching a nurse in the face yesterday, claiming she’s “mentally ill” and that the staff worker “should expect to be hit by a psych patient,” according to police. While changing into her hospital gown, Letika Poinsettia Berrien, 32, asked if she was being put on an involuntary hold. When staff confirmed that she was, Berrien allegedly punched the victim in the face. The 33-year-old female victim told police that Berrien explained she was “a psych patient” and that the victim works “in mental health and knows how this works.” Berrien added that she would “get away with this,” and that the nurse “should expect to be hit by a psych patient.” That’s not what happened, however. Berrien ended up being booked into county jail where her bond has yet to be set.