[grannynurse FNP student]

Originally Posted by vlsgrl

I hope this doesn't sound like a stupid question...but...if you are physically assaulted by a patient who is not a psych patient are you allowed to press charges or what ramifications if any are there to the patient? I thought a facility could not refuse to treat a patient...if it is a psych patient then what can be done? I have seen physical abuse by patients...heck I have been hit many times by patients...just this weekend in fact...he punched me in the stomach and ran his wheelchair into my ankle on purpose..I was doing a 1:1 with a pt on the rehab floor who had a brain injury....sometimes he knew exactly what was going on and other times he did not...but both incidences were because he could not have his own way...guess I am just wondering where the boundaries are and what if anything can be done...I am not an RN yet...but I have been a CNA for 20 years and my how things have changed...once upon a time a pt who was physically assaulting staff got taken down and restrained...thats a NONO now...thanks for listening....

Anyone who has been physically assaulted has the right to file a police report, regardless if they are a nurse or a patient. And it will be investigated. One should notify the supervisor or relevant nursing person and inform them of what has happen and ones intent to make a formal complaint. Hopefully the nursing administration will support the individual making the complaint.

Grannynurse

[kadokin]

Originally Posted by StuNurseUP

kadokin, it is not okay for a little old man to lure me over by requesting help so that he can stick a picture of numerous naked women in my face and ask me if I liked it! He was not a psych pt and it was very innapropriate. Last time I looked that qualifies as sexualk harrassment

So sorry. Didn't know he had asked you if you liked it. Maybe this does qualify as sexualk harassment. Sorry again.

[kadokin]

Oh, and BTW, if it is inappropriate for any pt, it is also inappropriate for a psych pt. Maybe that is why I seem so blase about these complaints. I deal w/psych pt's on a daily basis and, as a team, we make it VERY CLEAR that inappropriate behavior of ANY KIND will not be tolerated. I don't aim to make ANYONE'S discomfort seem like a small thing. You have to establih boundaries from the outset and make it clear. No need for threats, just tell them it ain't happening. In my experience, that flat-affect-who-cares face does a lot more to discourage this type of behavior than any expressions of shock or dismay. Hope this helps.

[JessicRN]

Originally Posted by grannynurse FNP student

Anyone who has been physically assaulted has the right to file a police report, regardless if they are a nurse or a patient. And it will be investigated. One should notify the supervisor or relevant nursing person and inform them of what has happen and ones intent to make a formal complaint. Hopefully the nursing administration will support the individual making the complaint.

Grannynurse

I was hit choked and kicked by a drunk suicidal patient just 2 weeks ago. I went to press charges and the court told me it would be a waste as since she was drunk and suicidal she is considered not of sane mind so nothing will happen.

[DusktilDawn]

Originally Posted by JessicRN

I was hit choked and kicked by a drunk suicidal patient just 2 weeks ago. I went to press charges and the court told me it would be a waste as since she was drunk and suicidal she is considered not of sane mind so nothing will happen.

Interesting how I could be drunk and suicidal, get behind the wheel of a car, deliberately crash into other vehicles causing death and mutilation to others, survive without a scratch. I could go beat the crap out of a stranger on the street. I could destroy someone property. The outcome would be that I would be criminally charged and convicted and the fact that I was drunk and suicidal wouldn't relieve me of responsibility for my actions. So is what the courts telling us that if a drunk suicidal patient choked us to death they would not be considered of sane mind and nothing would happen? Interesting how being drunk outside of a hospital and committing assault is different than inside.

JessicRN, I'm sorry this happened to you and I hope you are doing OK. I'm sorry the justice system let you down. Frankly I think you were told filing charges would be useless because they didn't feel it would be a good case to prosecute because there is the general belief that:
1. We should expect this kind of behavior simply because we are nurses. "It is part of job" is the myth perpetuated.
2. We are expected to and deemed to be control these situations. If a situation resulted in violence on our person, somehow we must be responsible. Somehow our patients never are responsible.
3. It is believed that we can arbitrarily restrain people via chemical or mechanical means, folks don't realize there is a process we have to follow in order to protect ourselves legally if a situation calls for the use of restraints.

[Ruby Vee]

Originally Posted by grannynurse FNP student

Anyone who has been physically assaulted has the right to file a police report, regardless if they are a nurse or a patient. And it will be investigated. One should notify the supervisor or relevant nursing person and inform them of what has happen and ones intent to make a formal complaint. Hopefully the nursing administration will support the individual making the complaint.

Grannynurse

Theoretically, yes. You have the right to file a police report . . . but good luck finding a nursing administration to support you. In the current "customer service" climate, nurses come last. If you notify your supervisor of your intent to file a complaint, you may find yourself suspected of being less than a "team player," and your job may become very uncomfortable at best. Complaints are discouraged.
Ruby

[grannynurse FNP student]

Originally Posted by JessicRN

I was hit choked and kicked by a drunk suicidal patient just 2 weeks ago. I went to press charges and the court told me it would be a waste as since she was drunk and suicidal she is considered not of sane mind so nothing will happen.

Sounds like you have a very lazy police department. It is not up to the police to determine if a patient is sane or not, it is up to a physician, who then informs the court. And it is a determination of competence, not sanity that is determined. It sounds as if someone was making a determination of whatever or not you would follow through, based on their previous experience. Being drunk and suicidal does not mean that a person is incompedent, just that they are drunk and suicidal. And I would have asked the officer if this excuses the drunk driver that he pulls over. Somehow, I think not.

Grannynurse

[grannynurse FNP student]

Originally Posted by Ruby Vee

Theoretically, yes. You have the right to file a police report . . . but good luck finding a nursing administration to support you. In the current "customer service" climate, nurses come last. If you notify your supervisor of your intent to file a complaint, you may find yourself suspected of being less than a "team player," and your job may become very uncomfortable at best. Complaints are discouraged.
Ruby

I am sorry that you work for a facility that is so non-supportive of it's staff. Not all facilities address this subject like yours apparently does. There are those that are very supportive of their staff. I would seek another position at another facility, if I felt so unsupportive by my administration.

Grannynurse

[Kabin]

Originally Posted by grannynurse FNP student

I am sorry that you work for a facility that is so non-supportive of it's staff. Not all facilities address this subject like yours apparently does. There are those that are very supportive of their staff. I would seek another position at another facility, if I felt so unsupportive by my administration.

Grannynurse

I agree!

[Jessy_RN]

Quote:

The trend toward customer service is another factor, we are now putting up with behavior on the job that wouldn't be tolerate elsewhere. We are bending over backward to please the unreasonable with the threat of disciplinary action from our management if we fail. So not only are we abused in the name of customer service, we are now disciplined/harassed by management because of it. In fact because of customer service, abusive behavior is often times rewarded.


It all boils to what a shame.