[Charity]

Keep us informed if anything else comes of this!

[camoflage]

Just a teaching point here (from a CRNA) ..... If a patient is actively gagging then the patient is actively protecting his/her airway from aspiration.

I personally would not have had an issue with you removing the oral airway (I probably would have beat you to it if the patient didn't beat us both to it)

camo

[healingtouchRN]

write this person up, totally inappropriate! Witnesses?

[pat022351]

It's certainly within the scope of your practice to remove an oral airway if in your assessment you believe your patient no longer needs it and/or is gagging on it.

[CRNI-ICU20]

you should document this incident, if not for yourself, any subsequent incidents he will undoubtedly have. He doesn't have the right to put a fingernail on you, period. I suppose I can understand his concern regarding "his airway" issues...however, he handled it totally inappropriately. You were looking out for your patient; he was looking out for his territory and ego....if he had been paying attention, which he wasn't, he should have provided that step of comfort for the patient himself....and since you stepped in and did so, he doesn't have the right to grab your arm....
write him up....defend your position as "looking out for my patient"....he doesn't have a crooked leg to stand on.....idiot!

[sharann]

It is the patients airway, not HIS or your airway to protect. If the patient was gagging and sitting up then they should have been extubated and had the airway out. Once they cross into the PACU the patient is both your patients. I would not htink twice about writing this person up either both for the verbal comments and of course the physical aggression.
Stick to your guns and keep good documentation.

[Ortho_RN]

So is it not normal for you to remove airways from your patients??? Our CRNAs leave patients with us intubated all the time... We remove airways.. and have even replaced oral and nasal airways when needed?

[bossfrog]

When he apologized, did you forgive him? If so, you should let it rest and be watchful.

[Larry in Florida]

Originally Posted by RNPamP

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I have written up the incident and reported it to my acting nurse manager, her supervisor, and the CRNA's supervisor (figured I'd cover all my bases). I'm glad to hear that others would also report the incident; I was trying to convince myself that it wasn't a big deal but of course it was. BTW, I think if he decides to write me up he doesn't have a leg to stand on, the patient met all criteria for the removal of the airway. Also, there is nowhere that it says "only CRNA's can remove airways" and he's only going to make himself look bad by saying he was going to leave in an airway on an awake patient. I stand by my decisions, and I managed to keep my cool!

Why didn't you just solve the problem while he was there? All the write ups believe it or not sometimes backfires. I'm sure he got the message or would have if you had just said I want to talk to you. Then explain yourself and then if he didn't act right use the pen.

[RNPamP]

Thanks to all who responded; I appreciate the interest. I did end up writing this guy up. I was going back and forth on the issue, and while I do see the viewpoint of those who said to just accept his apology, I draw the line at physical contact. I felt that if he just had a bad attitude and was nasty, that was one thing, but grabbing my arm took it to a different level. As far as I know, he was probably reprimanded and still occasionally see him, but he's not working here that much. Anyway, I really just wanted him to know how serious I felt this was and that to do so again would probably cost him his job. Hopefully, he will learn to control his anger/impulses in the future! Thanks again for the support.