InvestigateTV+: Family blames nurse shortage for son’s death in Georgia emergency room
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988Lifeline.org.
(InvestigateTV) — A family says their loved one died by suicide alone in an ER after the hospital failed to maintain proper staffing levels.
InvestigateTV+ uncovers what happened and the risks to patient health.
Plus, when the signs of a heart attack are missed, the results can be deadly. Learn more about why women are at particular risk for silent symptoms. Then, we take you to the hill where everyone has access to the slopes.
Family blames nurse shortage for son’s death in Georgia emergency room
A Georgia hospital is facing a lawsuit, alleging it failed to prevent the suicide of a 35-year-old man who sought emergency psychiatric care and blames a lack of staff and oversight for his death.
The suit, filed by the family of Michael Sharadin, claims Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah and its staff did not provide the supervision required for patients experiencing a mental health crisis. The wrongful death and medical malpractice complaint names several nurses, a physician, a psychiatric nurse practitioner, and the hospital’s parent companies as defendants.
Sharadin, who had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, called 911 from a Savannah hotel on Jan. 12, 2024, saying he was having a nervous breakdown and needed help.
EMS transported him to Memorial Health’s emergency department, where he was placed on an involuntary psychiatric hold, also known as a 1013.
“I’m having a nervous breakdown,” Sharadin said in a 911 recording. “I’m having suicidal thoughts. I don’t know what I’m doing. Please help me.”
According to the lawsuit and police body camera footage reviewed by InvestigateTV, the hospital’s psychiatric unit — known as “D-pod” — was closed that day due to staffing shortages.
Instead, Sharadin was placed in a general ER room and designated for “line of sight” observation, a level of monitoring that plaintiffs argue was never properly implemented.
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Women face a higher risk of silent heart attacks with no symptoms
Each year, more than 800,000 people experience a heart attack, which happens when a blockage in a blood vessel cuts off blood supply to the heart, according to the CDC.
While most people are familiar with common symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath and feeling lightheaded, not all heart attacks present with typical warning signs.
A 2023 study from the American Heart Association found that about one in five heart attacks is silent, meaning the damage is done but the person is not aware of it.
Experts say women are at particular risk for this type of heart attack.
How equine therapy helps some veterans heal from trauma
Horses have the power to heal, according to a 2021 study published by Columbia University that evaluated veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder before and after equine therapy.
The study found that through horse-human interaction, veterans can relearn how to recognize feelings, regulate emotions and communicate better.
In Alabama, one equine therapy program has opened its ranch to former military and their families through a program called “Cowboy Boot Camp.”
Missouri adaptive skiing program opens slopes to people with disabilities
An adaptive skiing program north of Kansas City, Missouri, believes access to the slopes can have a life-changing impact on people with disabilities.
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