[mom23RN]

Originally Posted by NurseNili

If you work in the ED, like me, you most likely have been attacked or assaulted some time in your career. I have been assaulted a few times, threatened many times, too many times to count. Through the years, I have learned to always be aware of my surroundings, always have a way out of the room, never take chances and restrain the patient at the first sign of combativeness, and to move really fast ande duck when I see an extremity or clipboard coming at me!

Ditto.

[KungFuFtr]

So, has anyone ever pressed charges or sued?

[Kristyn, RN]

Physically attacked? All the time, and I'm still in nursing school! I work in a dementia unit at a nursing home, though. Goes with the territory. Usually a combative patient is not seen as a problem at my facility until the punch/scratch/bite/etc. an administrator. Nice, huh?
No one I know of at work has ever sued for injury caused by a patient. We are discouraged, generally, from filling out incident reports for this type of abuse.

[mom23RN]

Originally Posted by KungFuFtr

So, has anyone ever pressed charges or sued?

No one I know has ever filed charges? I'm interested now to know if it's even feasible or if this is an inherent risk to the job???

[Dalzac]

Had a little old man about 90 kick me while I was facing his face. He sliced me behind the ear like I was a pumpkin I had to get 5 stitches. His toenails were like daggers

[Mirai Kangofu]

I hear you on sharp toenails. We're supposed to get a podiatrist to cut thick elder nails, but it never happens. During CNA clinicals, one of the tasks was to file down someone's nails (no clippers allowed). The lady whose nails I filed was ecstatic that someone had the time to do something.

[Mirai Kangofu]

I hear you on sharp toenails. We're supposed to get a podiatrist to cut thick elder nails, but it never happens. During CNA clinicals, one of the tasks was to file down someone's nails (no clippers allowed). The lady whose nails I filed was ecstatic that someone had the time to do something.

[GooeyRN]

I had one black eye when an 11 y/o boy punched me. However this was a children's psychiatric floor. Goes with the territory. I got punched, scratched and kicked multiple times but they were all alzheimers patients so I don't think they really count since they really didn't know what they were doing.

[ntshftrn]

Just this week-a patient who, 6 hours after surgery to repair fx leg, became hypoxic, confused and was trying to stand up-I was standing in front of him trying to talk with him,when he hit me in the shoulder, causing me to fall backwards into a chair, wall, floor, in that order. As for the question in the post about filing charges, there is no way I would (do not think I even could), because the patient had altered mental status at the time-I really feel bad for him, to tell you the truth. He had no idea what he was doing at the time. But if he had been in his right mind, and had hit me, I would be filing charges-I believe here in Fl, it is a felony.

The fall did not do a whole lot for my back problems-spondylolisthesis, but I don't think there is any more damage than is already there. The doctor who saw me did put me out of work for 3 days though-what a way to get a weekend off!

[thatoneguy]

sure many times. i even like to take those kind of patients so the female nurses dont have to deal with it. i know i can take a punch from any guy so a patient in a weaken state lyeing on a bed, no worries.