What's the appropriate response?

Specialties Emergency

Published

I was bathing a patient today (restrained) and he said he had an itch. I offered to scratch it for him and he told me he itched for me on his member. Im a new nurse and I found this very vulgar. What should I have done? I told him Im sorry but that's an itch that will go unscratched. I'm not a whore.

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

Absolutely, he was baiting you, and trying to gain some control over his situation by shocking/insulting you.

I've found the best response is usually no reponse at all.

One additional thought though --a patient alert & oriented enough to have initiated that interaction should come out of restraints and be on his way. It's a rare patient who gets bathed in the ER.

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My response would have been a dry "ha ha very funny" and I would've ignored anything further.

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Specializes in NICU.

Should have said "I'll go get one of the male nurses to scratch it for you." and then see what his response was. He could have a legitimate itch (who knows what is doing on down there).

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Specializes in Emergency.

There is a very thin line between what the pt thinks in innocent, harmless, flirting and inappropriate sexual advancements and what side of that line this is on makes all the difference in the world on what the appropriate response is.

In general, if it's just the patient trying to flirt, I agree with the ignoring it is often the best approach as an response often just results in more attempts to flirt by the patient. If on the other hand they cross the line, then I find a very stern response is more appropriate as it gets across the message that patients cannot cross that line in this hospital.

I think the best response I've ever heard came from a young tech we had in our ER when a patient brought in by the cops tried to come on to her. She simply smiled back at the pt, and said "My husband isn't into threesomes, especially with someone he just arrested." then she walked by her husband who was the arresting officer, and said "are you dear?". We all busted up laughing because she had only been working there a couple of weeks and was still in her, meek & mild newbie mode. I'm fairly certain that pt didn't make any comments to anyone other than directly answering our questions the rest of his stay.

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Specializes in ED, Pedi Vasc access, Paramedic serving 6 towns.

I would have said "hold on, I have just the guy for that.." would have stuck my head out the door and called for "BUBBA"! The would have changed his mind I bet!!! Why are you bathing someone in restraints? were they in them that long??

HPRN

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Sorry, I didn't mean to post in the Emergency section-- I'm new to this forum.

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Specializes in retired LTC.
Sorry, I didn't mean to post in the Emergency section-- I'm new to this forum.
Don't worry - I've posted in the wrong forum also.
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Specializes in ER.

New member, eh? Welcome to Allnurses. I hope you find some good topics to post on. I wish you luck in your career and hope you are able to avoid scratching memberes.

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.
I would have said "hold on, I have just the guy for that.." would have stuck my head out the door and called for "BUBBA"! The would have changed his mind I bet!!! Why are you bathing someone in restraints? were they in them that long??

HPRN

I do something like this when the drunks/*******s start saying how cute/hot/sexy the nurses are. I always thank them for the compliment and say I have been working out. Not the answer they want, and it breaks up the tension that some of the other people can feel.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

The appropriate response is a blank look, rolled eyes or a flat out "no way." Don't engage and don't encourage them.

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