Dr. O’Connor was known for his hot temper and drinking. Although he claimed never to come to work under the influence, nurses, physicians, and other coworkers had their doubts, and several expressed their alarm to their supervisors. The emergency room needed coverage, and it was hard to find physicians who would work the graveyard shift, so little was done to address these concerns. One night, Dr. O’Connor walked across a clearly marked wet floor that the custodian had just mopped. When the angry janitor protested loudly and pointed to the bright yellow sign and the offending footprints, Dr. O’Connor took a swing at the
