WILLIMANTIC, Conn. (AP) — The killing of a Connecticut nurse making a house call in October was a nightmare come true for an industry gripped by the fear of violence.

Health care workers are already experiencing high levels of stress due to shortages in staffing and increasing numbers of cases. Additionally, they are becoming more concerned about the potential for patients to exhibit violent behavior, a situation that is becoming more prevalent across the country.

In late October, Joyce Grayson, a 63-year-old mother of six, entered a halfway house for sex offenders in order to deliver medication to a man with a history of violence. Unfortunately, she did not survive the encounter.

The authorities discovered her deceased body in the basement and have identified her patient as the primary suspect in her murder.

The passing of Grayson has prompted her colleagues and government officials to once again emphasize the need for improved safety measures for home health care workers. This includes measures such as accompanying them with escorts and giving them more details about their clients. These requests come at a time when there is a rise in attacks against healthcare practitioners in general.

Tracy Wodatch, a visiting nurse and the CEO of the Connecticut Association of Healthcare at Home, shared that she used to enter unsafe neighborhoods. She would call the police for an escort due to feeling unsafe. However, due to budget and staffing constraints, this is no longer feasible.

Grayson, a nurse for 36 years with the last decade spent as a visiting nurse, was discovered deceased on October 28th at the Willimantic halfway house. She did not return after visiting patient Michael Reese, a convicted rapist. No charges have been made in connection to her death.

“It’s all nurses are thinking about right now, even the hospital nurses because they’ve had so many close calls,” said Connecticut state Sen. Martha Marx, a visiting nurse and New London Democrat who is calling for changes in both state and federal laws.

According to Marx, she was assigned to a home without knowing that it housed sex offenders until she spoke with clients there. She also mentioned that if a nurse requests a chaperone, the agency tends to give the work to someone else who won’t cause any issues.

Grayson’s passing occurred approximately 11 months following the death of another visiting nurse, Douglas Brant, who was fatally shot during a home visit in Spokane, Washington. This tragic event sparked demands for safety improvements, including the implementation of federal guidelines for preventing violence in the workplace.

Although homicides are uncommon, organizations in the nursing industry report that non-deadly violence towards health care staff is not. According to a recent study by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, from 2011 to 2018, the frequency of non-deadly violence against health care workers has risen by over 60%.

According to the bureau, the number of non-fatal injuries caused by workplace violence among health care workers has consistently been higher than other industries for several years.

According to a poll conducted by the National Nurses United, the biggest organization of registered nurses in the United States, 41% of hospital nurses claimed a rise in instances of violence in the workplace, a significant increase from 30% in September 2021.

According to Ha Do Byon, a former visiting nurse and current nursing professor at the University of Virginia, there is a high incidence of violence against home health care workers. One example she shared was a home health aide who was punched in the stomach. Other common forms of violence experienced by nurses in this field include being bitten, kicked, or slapped by patients or their family members. Some have also been attacked by dogs or verbally abused. It is worth noting that a majority of these workers are female.

Byon noted a lack of specific statistics on visiting nurses and has been making efforts to enhance the data.

According to U.S. Representative Joe Courtney, a Democrat from the congressional district where Grayson was killed, it is unacceptable for home health workers to enter someone’s home or apartment alone. He stresses the importance of implementing systems and tools to minimize risk in these situations.

Courtney has been advocating for a bill since 2019 that would establish federal regulations mandating health care and social service employers to create and execute thorough plans to prevent workplace violence. According to industry organizations, although some states have implemented similar plans, there is currently no federal legislation in place.

According to him, the issue brought to light by Grayson’s situation is not only concerning safety, but also about the ability to recruit and keep healthcare professionals, as many of them believe the job is excessively hazardous.

Courtney stated that it is a significant contributor to the burnout that employers are worried about.

Marx is advocating for laws that mandate security escorts for nurses in certain situations. She also believes that police should regularly provide caregivers with updated lists of addresses where violent crimes have taken place. Additionally, Marx suggests that patients’ charts should be marked to notify nurses of any past instances of violence, as well as if the patient is a registered sex offender or has any other relevant information.

According to her family, Grayson worked as a nurse for the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services for 26 years before becoming a visiting nurse for more than 10 years. She was also a cherished foster parent, caring for almost 30 children and receiving the state’s 2017 Foster Parent of the Year recognition.

The details of what Grayson was aware of regarding Reese and the halfway house in Willimantic remain a mystery in the case.

Her employer, Elara Caring, said Grayson had Reese’s medical file before she went there, but it declined to say what information was in the file, citing medical privacy laws.

Elara, which provides home care for more than 60,000 patients in 17 states, says it is reviewing its safety protocols and talking to employees about what more is needed. Scott Powers, chairman and chief executive, said company workers were shocked and grieving over Grayson’s death.

The organization stated that it had precautionary measures in effect when Grayson passed away. These measures involve collaborating with state authorities to confirm the safety of patients, including former convicts, who are receiving care in the community, as well as providing training for employees to handle such clients. However, it chose not to disclose further information regarding its security procedures, citing the ongoing investigation into Grayson’s passing.

Police still haven’t said how Grayson died, and the medical examiner’s office said autopsy results remain pending. Willimantic’s police chief, Paul Hussey, called the killing one of the worst cases he has seen in his 27 years in law enforcement.

Reese, who had previously spent over 14 years in jail for committing a stabbing and sexual assault in 2006 in New Haven, was apprehended by police as he left the halfway house on the day Grayson was murdered. According to state records, he had been released from prison in late 2020 but was sent back to detention twice for breaking the terms of his probation.

The authorities reported that he was found in possession of items belonging to Grayson, such as credit cards, and has been charged with probation violation, theft, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is currently being held on a bail of $1 million. The public defender assigned to Reese’s case, as listed in court documents, did not respond to email requests for comment.

The family of Grayson is in a state of despair and is looking for explanations to various inquiries, such as if there were any lapses in supervision by the state Department of Correction, state probation authorities, and the organization managing the halfway house. They are also interested in finding out if Elara Caring sufficiently ensured her safety, as stated by their attorney, Kelly Reardon, who mentioned that a legal action is being prepared.

Reardon stated that they were deeply troubled by the situation, expressing their belief that it could have been avoided. They believed from the beginning that there were flaws in the system that contributed to this and they are calling for an investigation to be conducted.

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Collins filed a report from Hartford, Connecticut.