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DECATUR, Ga. — An Atlanta VA nurse who was attacked on the job is claiming the hospital didn't do enough to protect and support her.

Latisha Shannon reached out to 11Alive Investigates saying after a patient attacked her in July, she was "left out to dry" by the VA.

She said VA leaders did not conduct a fact finding or formal investigation into the attack and instead urged her to come back to work despite protests from her medical providers.

"These are the bruises I had," Shannon said, sharing photos of her injuries, describing a hurt jaw and how the attack "split my face open."

The veteran nurse of 25 years had only been with the Atlanta VA for a few months when the attack happened on July 23. She was working as an assistant manager on the psychiatric floor when she says a patient with past violent tendencies charged at her.

"He pulled me down to the ground and he started dragging me. As he's dragging me he's punching me in my face, in my head, over and over and over again. And I'm just screaming, please get him, help me, help me," she recalled. "I'm just thinking in my mind I'm never going to see my kids again. I don't want to die like this.”

Witnesses said it took several staff members to free Shannon. She said the VA police didn't respond to the emergency call until after the patient had been detained by her coworkers.

Shannon said she asked VA leaders to watch the surveillance video of the attack to analyze the VA police department's response time to the floor's emergency call.

"What was the reaction time? What took you guys so long to jump in?" Shannon said. "If they have been a little bit longer, I might not be here right now. At least if there was a video they could see, but they're saying there isn't one. I don't know if it's true or not."

A VA spokesperson told 11Alive Investigates that the surveillance cameras on the psychiatric floor are live feeds only, saying it is currently working to upgrade the system to be able to record video.

"Why is there not something showing what happened?" Shannon asked. "How is that safe for us and the patients?"

Medical records show Shannon suffered injuries to her jaw, face, neck, and shoulder in the attack.

She said she also saw a psychiatrist who diagnosed her with PTSD.

"I get up every day and it's like I'm just existing, I'm not living," she said through tears. "I know that I probably will get better in time, but I'm never going to be the same."

About a week after the attack, Shannon said her employer asked about her return to work, stating that her PTSD claim wasn't an "accepted condition" pending her worker's compensation claim with the US Department of Labor.

A VA workers compensation specialist wrote in an email to Shannon that she had a “responsibility to return to work."

"It takes all I have to get out of bed and function, and it's like all they want me to do is go back to work," Shannon said. "Do they think that when something like this happens that its just physical? It's not."

Medical records show that a doctor noted that Shannon should plan to be off work for 90 days. Her psychiatrist even wrote a letter on her behalf urging the same.

"I would certainly not consider forcing her to go back while the patient who dragged her by the hair and punched her repeatedly in the face is still a patient on a unit," the letter reads. "I do not perceive it likely that she can return to work for at least three months."

However, Shannon said she was told by her employer that if she wanted to take time off, she'd need to use her vacation days.

So she used her paid days off while she applied for workers' compensation. When her days ran out, she said she stopped getting paid. She received an email from the VA citing her only accepted condition was "unspecified injury of the face."

"How can you heal when you have to worry about a paycheck and paying your bills?" she said. "It's not just about me, it's about other nurses and patients in the future, and doing things the right way."

Records show the VA declined to issue Shannon a continuation of pay after her vacation days ran out, again stating that her "condition is not accepted."

"They just left me out to dry," Shannon said.

Shortly after 11Alive Investigates began asking questions, the U.S. Department of Labor ordered the VA to continue Shannon's pay pending her workers comp claim since the hospital had not yet made her a formal offer for a alternative position.

Meanwhile, Shannon's coworkers, who spoke to 11Alive Investigates under the promise of anonymity, say no one with VA leadership ever came to speak with them after the attack.

"They have not even been on the unit," Shannon said. "How can you have a nurse get hurt and get beat brutally in front of so many people and just treat it like nothing happened?"

A VA spokesperson told 11Alive Investigates "all standard operating procedures were followed."

Shannon said she's particularly concerned no investigation was conducted since she reported the medical staff failed to correctly administer the patient's medication just before the attack.

She said she also requested to press charges against the patient, hoping it would prevent another incident in the future, but VA leaders told 11Alive it chose not to do so due to the patient’s mental state.

"Who's going to be held accountable for what happened to me?” Shannon said. "I don't feel good to want to file charges on a patient, but I don't want him to hurt himself or somebody else. They need to ensure that he gets the best care possible for his mental health, but not be able to harm anybody."

Several weeks after 11Alive Investigates first began asking VA leaders about Shannon's claims, a spokesperson sent an emailed statement, writing:

"After the July 23 incident involving Ms. Shannon and a Veteran in crisis on our Mental Health unit, VA Police immediately responded and medical care and support services were provided to both parties. Due to the Veteran’s health status, no criminal charges were pursued.

While the VA Office of Workers’ Compensation Program reviews Ms. Shannon’s post-traumatic stress disorder claim, we will continue to provide the support she requires to help her through this very tough time – as she is a valuable member of the Atlanta VA Medical Center. Our team is working hard to ensure that every employee and Veteran who comes to the Atlanta VA Medical Center has a safe and welcoming environment to work and receive their care."

A few days after the VA emailed it's statement, the Department of Labor informed Shannon her PTSD claim had been approved, and requested additional documentation to proceed with her worker's compensation claim.

She said while she's grateful her PTSD was recognized, she's still not satisfied with how the VA has handled the situation.

"They they failed me, they failed the system and they are failing the patients," Shannon said. "I'm just little old me, but maybe what I went through and being brave enough to speak out may make a difference. The culture is wrong and there needs to be accountability."

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