A former ER nurse is backing Mercy Mercy Hospital Springfield security and ER staff who were fired for "patient care that was not up to hospital standards even in highly tense situations," according to an article on the Springfield News-Leader website.

While the Missouri healthcare facility did not address specific causes for termination, the recent threat of discontinued Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement is believed to be a factor, the article said.

"As a former Mercy Emergency Department nurse, I have interacted with many members of the Mercy security staff and have nothing but gratitude to express for the service that they provide. They act professionally and efficiently, they make our staff feel secure, and they work tirelessly to de-escalate tense situations so as to avoid physical altercation," the nurse said in the article.

Physical restraint is an unpleasant but necessary event in the Emergency Department and staff members do everything within our power to avoid its implementation, the article said.

Read the article.