Local nurse guilty of assault after smearing soiled diaper on coworker’s face

GIBSON COUNTY, Tenn. — A jury found a contracted nurse guilty of assault Tuesday after she smeared a soiled diaper on a coworker’s face at a Medina nursing home, according to the Office of the District Attorney General, 28th Judicial District.

Sharandal Mitchell, 40, was convicted of assault – offensive contact, a Class B misdemeanor, after a trial in Humboldt Law Court. Circuit Court Judge Clayburn Peeples will sentence Mitchell in May.

COURTESY: Office of the District Attorney General, 28th Judicial District

The incident occurred March 30, 2024, at Medina Christian Care Nursing Home. Mitchell was working as a licensed practical nurse contracted through Shiftkey when a coworker reported her for refusing to provide care for a patient experiencing a prolonged nosebleed and for failing to administer prescribed medications, the office said.

Facility management instructed Mitchell to return her medication cart keys and leave the premises. She refused and began acting erratically, blaming the coworker for contacting management. Staff contacted law enforcement.

Officers responded and waited approximately two hours while Mitchell refused to leave and counted medication in her cart.

According to officials, Mitchell entered a patient’s room where the coworker was present. Mitchell put on gloves, picked up a used adult diaper containing urine and feces, grabbed the coworker by the hair, and smeared the diaper on her face, the office said. The coworker pushed Mitchell away in self-defense. Officers took Mitchell into custody.

District Attorney General Frederick H. Agee said the jury’s decision holds Mitchell accountable after committing this act in a healthcare facility. He said misdemeanor cases rarely proceed to a jury trial, but prosecutors are committed to pursuing justice with the same diligence as in felony prosecutions.

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