Nurse threatened at Podgorica Health Center, seeks protection from institution

Dozens of attacks on healthcare workers have been recorded since the beginning of the year, and one of the most recent occurred about ten days ago at the Podgorica Health Center, when a patient's family member threatened and insulted a nurse, prompting the police to intervene.

Nurse in the selected adult team JM In a statement to "Vijesti", she says that due to threats, insults and aggressive behavior, she called the police and reported the case, and that she is asking the institution where she works to protect her and ensure her safety at work.

She wrote to the director of the institution about the incident that occurred on April 7 at her workplace in the Nova Varoš facility, which her colleagues can testify to. She claims that there was a lack of adequate reaction from her superiors, as well as measures to protect her rights and professional integrity.

Fifteen physical attacks on Konik

The Capital City Health Center responded to "Vijesti" that since the beginning of 2026, fifteen physical attacks have been recorded on non-medical staff, namely security guards employed by the Internal Protection Service. They explained that these were physical attacks by patients undergoing buprenorphine therapy.

They claim that in addition to these attacks, employees of the Internal Protection Service of the Capital City Health Center have at least a couple of interventions a day that are completed without contacting members of the Police Directorate.

"Recently, there was an attack on the security guards of the Health Center with a cold weapon (knife) by a patient who is a user of buprenorphine therapy. In all cases of physical attacks, members of the Police Directorate were notified, reports were filed and the perpetrators were taken to the competent prosecutor's office," the response reads. This incident occurred two days after the verbal attack on the nurse.

The Health Center responded that, in addition to attacks on non-medical staff, there were also two verbal attacks on medical staff, namely a doctor at the Konik facility.

"We have also had two verbal attacks on the doctor in Block 5 since the beginning of the year," the response reads.

The Health Center said that, in accordance with the analysis of the current situation, the management has begun drafting and adopting a systematization act, which provides for the expansion of the Internal Protection Service. The reason, they claim, is the need to adequately secure all larger facilities, given the increased workload, frequency of patients, as well as the need to improve the safety of employees and users of health services.

Threats and insults reported to the police

JM states in his police report that the incident occurred after she explained to the patient's family member, in accordance with procedures, that the patient's chosen doctor was on the opposite shift and that they did not have a nurse in charge of the changing room on that shift. He claims that the patient's father then insulted him with insults such as "slut", "uneducated mutt, I would have seen you in front of the Health Center, what would I do to you", "I will solve this in my own way" and similar words, while his wife filmed it on her phone. After that, he claims, he pounded the counter with his fist, and she moved to another room to avoid further inconvenience.

In a statement to "Vijesti", the nurse claims that there was no call and no adequate reaction from her immediate supervisor, and that she is under stress due to the entire situation.

Commenting on this case, the management of the Health Center said that due to the insufficient number of employees performing security duties, a security guard from another facility was sent to the scene of the verbal attack on the nurse, who arrived when the police were taking statements from eyewitnesses to the incident.

"On 7 April 2026, the employee was contacted by her immediate supervisor, as a representative of the management of the Capital City Health Center, regarding the incident in question, namely the incident relating to a serious verbal attack and threats by a family member of the patient. We would also like to note that the patient in question has contacted the Ombudsman for Patients, and that further procedures are underway," the response states.