“Employee who shot director of nursing in the face charged with attempted murder,” read the shocking headline on nursing.org. KELOLAND News reported, “Carrie Collins allegedly shot her supervisor in the face after she became disgruntled while being trained.” Seriously?

During the investigation, authorities found that the employee had already received a written warning and was likely facing another due to inappropriate behavior—talking over coworkers and discussing residents in front of other residents. When the supervisor addressed the issue and called for a lunch break, the employee went to her vehicle, returned a short time later, and shot the supervisor. Witnesses saw her waving a black pistol and yelling at the victim.

“I think everybody acted appropriately and quickly—this occurred very abruptly. A 911 call was made immediately, and local law enforcement responded swiftly, securing witness interviews and evidence, including a firearm,” said Attorney General Marty Jackley.

Bottom line? We don’t always know what is going on in our employees’ personal lives. While there is no evidence that this center cut corners in its hiring process, it’s a stark reminder that workplace violence prevention in senior care must be taken seriously. Are we thoroughly screening prospective employees, checking references, conducting background checks, and verifying against the OIG exclusion list? During staffing shortages, skipping steps might seem tempting—but it isn’t worth the risk.

What about your emergency preparedness plan for workplace violence? Now might be the perfect time to review it with your QAPI committee to ensure it’s effective and consistently followed. Incidents like this can make an already difficult recruitment and retention landscape even worse. We celebrate every new hire, hoping for relief in our staffing struggles—but as this case shows, you never know what someone might be carrying with them—literally and figuratively.

Stay well and stay informed!