DaymonF
Active Member
Posts:59
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| 07/28/2009 12:21 PM |
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| unfortunately, I am seeing and hearing a lot lately about violence perpetrated by patients on RNs. Not sure if the media is focused on it, or if it's a trend. curious to see if anyone has had firsthand experience - I have not (thankfully). |
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Kellyann
New Member
Posts:6
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| 07/30/2009 10:15 PM |
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| Violence can be depicted in a variety of ways. those of us who know what real communication feels and looks like will often depict our daily life as one of violence. We should never allow anyone to speak to us in a manner which woulld otherwise considered respectful that applies to patients and to the highest professional we could all think of. But...... unfortunately we allow many people to speak to us in a manner which is very much not respectful. Courage is the key virtue for which all others rest upon. We need to begin building on that virtue but give the skills set necessary to address the daily violence that a RN 's deals with |
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shovelhead
Experienced Member
Posts:141
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| 08/14/2009 12:34 PM |
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| How about getting punched in the chops, Kellyann. Abuse is one thing and can encompass verbal intimidation. Violence has to do with physical threat. Violence can come from an old Alzheimer patient that pinches and kicks. It can also come from an alcoholic suffering from the DTs or a meth head that has been on a three day binge. Courage has NOTHING to do with dealing with these patients. Necessity does. I feel that RNs are starting to report the violence more often and that is why we are seeing an increase. We aren't supposed to just let it slide under the carpet, yet many of us are encouraged to "just let it go, they didn't know what they were doing". Bull puckey. When the patient waits until you are close enough to coldcock, then they are cognizant enough to charge. I have been told to not follow through on charges, because "the pt was under stress". What message is that sending to the men and women working the floor. To me, that tells me that I am NOT valued enough to be protected. That is first hand experience. It's not everyday, but it happens every few shifts. One of the bonuses of working a busy ER and being large. |
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Motorcycle racing make heroin look like a vague craving for salt. |
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NurseDiana
New Member
Posts:3
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| 09/21/2009 5:33 PM |
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Violence in the workplace is always a concern for RN's. We work with a lot of patients that may be confused either prior to admission or because of the "newness" of their hospital visit. A lot of the medications we administer can also have adverse effects.
I do think it is important to point out that sometimes we (unintentionally)aggrevate some patients. We had a code green on the floor the other day. An elderly gentlemen was becoming agitated with all the "unnecessary people" in his room. One RN and no students would of helped deescalate the situation... |
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KY-RN
Junior Member
Posts:23
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| 05/20/2010 10:52 PM |
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| I have experienced patients that think it is OK to hit their nurse if they don't get what they want or get it fast enough. There seems to be an increase in the feeling of entitlement on the part of some patients. In my experience it is generally in the lower socio-economic patients. They want the ritz- Carlton when they are in a hospital. In my 27 years of nursing, I have been injured twice by patients, once in an attack when my back was injured and I was off work 6 months and I was stabbed once by a patient. No lost time there but that one almost made me quit the profession. |
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*KimmieRN*
Junior Member
Posts:14
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| 06/05/2010 7:16 AM |
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| You were stabbed, KY-RN?! Oh my, that had to have been a terrifying ordeal. I seriously give you credit for sticking with it. I agree with some patients believing in a sense of entitlement. It is almost like some people think a hospital is a safe place to act like fools and throw fits if they do not get what they want? For people that are alert and oriented x3 I think it is best to remind them of the cold hard facts: 1. the hospital has security officers, 2. The city police will and do come to the hospital, 3. Hospitalized patients can be arrested and handcuffed to their bed and taken to jail upon discharge, 4. Nurses have the right to press charges. Sadly, nurse abuse is real. I have been abused at work, but all times were by patients with severe dementias. I have been threatened, kicked, slapped and spit on. I do know that if it was someone that I certainly felt knew better then I would press charges in a heart beat. I have a right and duty to care for myself just as I would care for someone else. |
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KY-RN
Junior Member
Posts:23
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| 06/06/2010 9:44 PM |
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| Yeah KimmieRN, I was stabbed in the thigh and the patient knew what was going on. I went to the ER and got a pair of scrubs from our supply department and went back to work. The patient was transferred to Psych and eventually to a state institution, he was just a freak of society and pressing charges would have done nothing different than what ended up happening anyway. It was a minor wound and I had worse happen to me. I have a low tolerance for this type of stuff normally but when nothing would come of it anyway, no sense fretting about it. |
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Jennifer
Junior Member
Posts:14
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| 06/15/2010 10:59 AM |
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| I took a SAMA class last year. SAMA is a form of martial arts for health care professionals. It teaches you how to protect yourself against agitated or violent patients. The first part of the class is learning how to difuse an angry patient in an attempt to prevent the situation from escalating any further, and if it does the class teaches you how to properly take down a patient or to prevent them from hurting you. The self defense techniques they teach you are EXCELLENT and IF you follow them precisely you WILL be protected ina court of law. When you document you must document that you used SAMA techniques. Good luck. |
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