Finally had the inevitable

Nurses Relations

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I knew that in our highly volatile ER routinely housing 12 to 20 psych patients that the inevitable would happen. I got injured.

although I got kicked in the chest , whiplashed my neck and hit my head on the wall. I'm lucky in that it didn't appear to cause any serious injuries. I can't imagine the suffering those in this career go through when the career we rely on being the result of permanent disability.

Ive just replayed the scenario over and over, and I don't think, short of staying out of the room there is much I could have done different as it happened so fast.

My heart goes out to all of those who've be injured, and I hope that with time, we will find ways to keep all of us safer.

Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

This would make me feel a pretty good amount of trepidation about returning to work! Are you going to be okay with that? Never underestimate the power of emotional impact. Find someone to help you through that if you need to; it's as much a physiological response as a mental one.

I've had the hair at my right temple yanked out, been bit, slapped, scratched, gouged, grabbed, and had an IV pole swung at me (he missed; I'm fast.) but have never been (and pray God I never am) LAUNCHED into the wall!

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I've seen coworkers get punched in the face, one was on blood thinners and got quite the bruise. It is not fair what we have to put up with on the job, but there are so many violent people out there so I'm not surprised that they would continue this behavior when they are sick! I've had men shake their fists at me, one a very large 400 pound person. He didn't hurt any of us at the hospital, but later on heard he beat up his wife when he was in rehab. Should be in jail, not getting elective surgery! Another guy tried to slam the closet door on a nurse when she was trying to get something he asked for. Luckily she dodged in time.

I totally agree they should be charged and put in jail! It is not ok!

I hope you are ok and recover with no serious injuries.

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Wishing you the best for a speedy recovery. It's really unfortunate, but in my years of ED work I've seen it far too much. I've been very fortunate and never received an actual injury. But yes, I've been banged around from time to time.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
I hope you had all testing available done and that you filed a workmans comp case and probably are entitled to a medical leave of absence.

THIS.

Make sure you take care of YOU before jumping back into the trenches.

Best wishes.

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Specializes in nursing education.
I've just replayed the scenario over and over...

This sounds like it might be PTSD, even if you are physically unharmed you might have this effect. Take care of yourself.

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Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/LDRP/Ortho ASC.

OMG this is awful:( It's absolutely one of my worst fears and on my mind constantly while I'm working. Hope you're ok.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/ICU/Stepdown.

You can't blame yourself in this scenario. Don't torture yourself.

Just a few months ago we had a patient with a glioblastoma. The patient wandered into the hallway, into our dirty utility room, and reached into our biohazard bucket. When I found her, instinct took over and I desperately tried to pull her out lest she get stuck with a needle ...

I got punched in the jaw. Hard. And broke a tooth.

I know not to touch a combative, confused patient but it was for her own good. Could I have done things differently? Probably. Does it help to beat myself up? No.

Kudos to you for doing your job in spite of the danger.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

I am so sorry. I hope you are OK. I have a ton of respect for any nurse that works with such a volatile patient population day in and day out. Work is stressful enough without the added component of there being a very real possibility of being physically assaulted at some point in your shift.

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When working in a community mental health agency, I was waiting at the elevator and a client I didn't know walked toward me. Before I knew what was happening his fist was coming at my face and my arm flew up to parry the blow. Luckily, I escaped injury, but the force of his fist broke in half the barrel of the plastic Bik pen (the generic clear plastic kind) I had in my hand. I had just had the nonviolent intervention training a few weeks earlier, and somehow it automatically kicked in. I later learned that this same client had broken my supervisor's jaw a few years before in a similar, out-of-the-blue situation. I'm so sorry to hear this happened to you...hope the outcome was the best possible!

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Specializes in Public Health, TB.

Another reason I've left the bedside. Tired of being a punching bag, verbally and physically for families and patients.

And then being blamed for it by administration.

Kudos to those of you who are still on the front lines, but please take care!

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