Bathroom doors removed after patient suicide at N.C. hospital

Investigation also found that staff members were not checking patients as they should


An investigation into a man’s suicide by hanging at Central Regional Hospital in Butner, N.C., resulted in the removal of all full-length bathroom doors in patients’ private rooms, according to an article on the Charlotte Observer website.

The state Department of Heath and Human Services officials decided patient privacy could be maintained without the doors. The agency is considering various options for replacing them.

The investigation also found that staff members were not checking patients as they should and a record of patient monitoring had been falsified.

The state recently finished construction of a new hospital with breakaway bathroom doors. DHHS is considering putting sensors on doors to semi-private bathrooms in another facility under construction. Bathrooms in private patient rooms there will have no doors.

Read the article.

 

 



July 28, 2017


Topic Area: Safety


Recent Posts

EV Charging Station Design: Ensuring Patient Access

The question is not whether to install charging infrastructure — the organization eventually will have to — but how to do it without disrupting patient care.


Sanford Health and Prairie Lakes Healthcare System Merge

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System will transition to the Sanford Health name and brand while preserving and expanding health services across the communities it serves.


Sedgebrook Falls Victim to Data Incident

The organization detected the event on May 5, 2025.


How Efficiency Checklists Help Hospitals Save Energy, Water and Money

Keith Edgerton explains how a simple, systematic tool can help healthcare facilities identify savings, support sustainability goals and reinvest in long-term decarbonization.


Designing with Heart: Seen Health Center Blends Cultural Warmth and Clinical Care

Case study: The Alhambra-based facility uses Wilsonart Woodgrains to create a space where comfort, tradition and durability come together for an elevated senior care experience.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.