Nurse in needle stabbing case worked for state

• Naomi Derrick of Sicklerville has agreed to a temporary suspension of her nursing license.
• The alleged assaults were recorded on video or witnessed by another employee.
• The registered nurse has worked at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital since 2009, and is now suspended without pay.

A registered nurse accused of assaulting a 10-year-old patient with autism at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City also worked with disabled and mentally ill patients for the state of New Jersey.

Naomi K. Derrick of Sicklerville recently agreed to the temporary suspension of her nursing license after Acting Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino filed a complaint with the state's Board of Nursing accusing Derrick of gross negligence, professional misconduct, and incompetence.

During her 12-hour shift on May 15, Derrick allegedly stabbed the child numerous times with a hypodermic needle, and bent his finger backward until it cracked, according to information released by the state attorney general's office on Monday. The complaint also accuses Derrick of stepping on her patient's bare foot and causing him to fall after repeatedly shoving a chair he was holding on to.

Derrick was fired from her job as a pool nurse for AtlantiCare the next day.

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“A developmentally disabled child, confined to a psychiatric ward under the supervision of nurses, is as vulnerable a patient as you can find,” Porrino said in a released statement. “Instead of caring for this boy and protecting him from harm, as was her duty, Naomi Derrick allegedly used her position of authority to bully and assault him. There is no place in the health care profession for this kind of barbaric behavior.”

At the time of the assault, Derrick was a full-time nurse for a state psychiatric hospital, according to a statement released by AtlantiCare.

Documents obtained by the Courier-Post show a Naomi Derrick worked as a charge nurse at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital as of September 2015. A state-maintained database of registered nurses lists just one Naomi Derrick.

Ellen Lovejoy, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Human Services, said Wednesday that Derrick started working at Ancora in May 2009.

"Civil Service Commission rules dictate the process for discipline and termination," Lovejoy said in an e-mail. "Immediately following the alleged incident, Ms. Derrick was placed off duty with pay. Administrative charges were issued, based on her failure to disclose information regarding other employment."

The nurse was suspended from her state job without pay on July 6, and the department is seeking her termination, Lovejoy added.

Derrick will not have access to any patients, pending further action from the nursing board and criminal charges that may be filed during her suspension, said Steve Lee, director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.

“Her alleged actions demonstrate a shocking departure from the most basic standards of care, let alone the standard of care one would expect for a child with special needs," Lee said in a statement released by the state attorney general's office. "If Nurse Derrick had not agreed to voluntarily surrender her license, the (nursing) board was prepared to take action to suspend it.”

On at least six occasions throughout the day during the May incident, according to an investigation by the Division of Consumer Affairs, Derrick allegedly stuck the boy with a needle, sometimes repeatedly, in his upper arm, thigh, kneecaps, foot, and hand. Each time, she drew blood droplets.

The incidents were recorded on video or were witnessed by another employee, according to documents filed with the state's Board of Nursing. The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office is conducting a criminal investigation.

Jennifer Tornetta, director of media relations for AtlantiCare, would not answer questions about Derrick's employment history at the hospital, but provided a written statement instead.

"We are appalled and deeply saddened that this occurred," the statement read. "We are committed to the safety of our patients and staff. As soon as we became aware of the situation, we notified the child’s family as well as law enforcement and regulatory authorities.

"We suspended and terminated the nurse involved, who worked full time at a state psychiatric hospital and was a pool employee at AtlantiCare. Because this is now a criminal investigation, it is not appropriate for us to comment further. We have and will continue to give our full cooperation to law enforcement and regulatory officials."

Derrick's attorney, John A. Zohlman III of Cherry Hill, did not return a message seeking comment.

Kim Mulford: (856) 486-2448; kmulford@gannettnj.com