Fifteen nurses were abruptly fired after a child’s suicide at a Washington hospital, igniting a fierce battle over patient safety, labor rights, and accountability in America’s healthcare system.
Story Snapshot
- A 12-year-old girl’s suicide at Providence Sacred Heart led to mass nurse firings and a high-profile lawsuit.
- Closure of the hospital’s psychiatric unit months prior forced vulnerable children into unsafe, ill-equipped rooms.
- The nurses’ union and family allege retaliation and systemic negligence, demanding reforms in pediatric mental health care.
- State regulators and advocates warn of widespread safety gaps in Washington’s strained healthcare system.
Hospital Safety Failures and Psychiatric Unit Closure
Providence Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital in Spokane, Washington, witnessed tragedy on April 13, 2025, when 12-year-old Sarah Niyimbona died by suicide after slipping out of her room and jumping from a parking garage. Her case highlighted the dangerous consequences of closing the hospital’s specialized adolescent psychiatric unit months earlier, a cost-cutting move that left high-risk children in general pediatric rooms lacking proper safety features and adequately trained staff. The hospital’s documented removal of essential safeguards—such as sitters, video monitors, and door alarms—despite Sarah’s history of suicide attempts, is now at the center of public outrage and legal action.
Washington hospital fires fifteen nurses after 12-year-old patient’s suicide https://t.co/n84BpjSVoD
— Rita Oppenheim Pozniakoff (@ritapoz) August 10, 2025
Labor Dispute and Accountability: Nurses Fired, Union Responds
In August 2025, the hospital fired fifteen pediatric nurses and disciplined another, citing lapses in patient supervision. The Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) immediately condemned the firings as retaliatory, arguing that management scapegoated frontline staff for broader systemic failures. The union’s grievance claims that the dismissals did not target individual culpability but served as a collective punishment, undermining workers’ rights and morale at a time when experienced caregivers are critical to patient safety. The families and union maintain that hospital leadership failed to address root causes—namely, removing psychiatric safeguards and closing specialized units—while deflecting blame onto staff.
Watch: WSNA files grievances for 15 nurses fired after child’s tragic death at Spokane hospital
Expert voices within the field have weighed in, including former psychiatric unit nurse Kaili Timperley, who emphasized that placing children in unmodified medical rooms is wholly inadequate for their risk level. WSNA’s Executive Director, David Keepnews, accused hospital executives of prioritizing finances over community needs, while Disability Rights Washington’s attorney Chloe Merino described the lack of supervision and removal of sitters as “very concerning.” These perspectives echo a growing consensus among healthcare professionals and advocates: systemic reforms are needed to protect children and restore standards of care.
Legal, Regulatory, and Community Impact
The aftermath of Sarah’s death and the subsequent nurse firings has sparked a lawsuit from her family and triggered investigations by the Washington State Department of Health. The immediate disruption to hospital staffing has raised concerns about ongoing patient safety, with union members mobilizing public support and challenging the disciplinary actions. Financial repercussions from litigation and staff turnover compound broader economic pressures, while public trust in hospital management and mental health services erodes further.
Nationally, hospitals face mounting scrutiny over psychiatric unit closures, inadequate safety standards, and staff burnout. The case of Providence Sacred Heart now serves as a warning for policymakers and healthcare leaders: neglecting pediatric psychiatric safety undermines both constitutional values and the well-being of America’s most vulnerable families.
Sources:
A 12-year-old killed herself at a Spokane hospital that recently closed its youth psychiatric unit
Failing Sarah: How a 12-year-old girl ended her own life at Sacred Heart
Spokane hospital where 12-year-old died endangered other suicidal patients, investigators find
Providence nurses fired in retaliation, WSNA says
