[Sweetooth EMT-P, RN]

I beleive it is legal to tell aurthorities since he is homicidal and not just suicidal.

swtooth

[Ophelia78]

I worked Mental Health outreach for a couple years- we dealt with this all the time. If ever a client expressed the urge to harm themselves or another we called 911. Never, under any circumstances, would anyone be sent to visit someone expressing these thoughts. In fact, the agency has a legal obligation to inform anyone he threatened what he had said, as well as report it to authorities. You can report an agency's negligence to OSHA, who can cite them under the Workplace Violence Regulation. I had to do this myself at a group home where we were not informed of the violent sexual offender who resided there. They received 13 citations. All reports can be anonymous.

[angelslpn]

Yes you have one nurse contact M.D. ,another call authorities, another contact a crisis hotline, and talk with pt and ask why are you having these thoughts? Anytime with suicidal idealations you take them seriously; just like when an pt tells you they're dying! As for the other who sent out to an suicidal idealation situation. They should have followed the same protocol. That could have put yall in GRAVE danger. Also when talking to an suicidal pt try to give them something positive to focus on such as family,teaching such as former career. HHA'S should try to get the police to do an safety awareness in service; they can also be teaching tips with pts.

[Noryn]

I normally try to avoid these threads because they raise my blood pressure and I dont like to resort to name calling but in this case let me make a clear point that your supervisor is an idiot.

Dont second guess yourself. You are not overreacting and this is a very serious situation. Under no circumstances should ANY nurse go in that home. It should have been reported to the authorities and I would have a hard time believing suicide prevention or watch would fit in the scope of practice for a home health nurse.

This puts your license and much more importantly your life at risk.

[CapeCodMermaid]

I am dumbfounded. Why would any supervisor send a nurse into a house where someone was threatening suicide/homicide. Did we learn nothing from the Virginia Tech shootings? There were warning signs that no one could act on or cared to act on. If there is a threat, call the police.

[Cattitude]

Originally Posted by CapeCodMermaid

I am dumbfounded. Why would any supervisor send a nurse into a house where someone was threatening suicide/homicide. Did we learn nothing from the Virginia Tech shootings? There were warning signs that no one could act on or cared to act on. If there is a threat, call the police.

Being that this thread started in JANUARY way before Virginia Tech, I would give the supvr. a break from learning on that one .

[CapeCodMermaid]

January or June...still find it unimaginable that a supervisor would send a nurse into a situation like this.
When I worked in a SNF there were patients who always were threatening or in some way intimidating, and I always sent two people in the room...and my patients had no way of getting a weapon. There is no excuse and no slack cutting here.