Re: Fine line of abuse
Verbal assaults are one thing. It's not fun to be insulted and called names, but this is the unfortunate byproduct of a culture that glorifies crudity and has elevated profanity to an art form over the past 30 years or so. I've learned that this is almost never about the person who's being screamed and/or cursed at, but a combination of factors that is far more complex than can be addressed here.
Physical violence is a horse of a different color, and IMO should never, ever be tolerated. I work in an LTC where there is one resident who requires 2-3 staff members to restrain him from punching the medication aide whenever he gets a suppository; though he is demented (and the rest of the time, a great guy), we refuse to let him hurt people. So there is NO WAY anyone who is A&O should be allowed to get away with punching, hitting, kicking, throwing objects, or otherwise deliberately harming a healthcare worker.
I had a patient a few years ago who was detoxing from meth and ETOH; one night he shoved his tray table at me and knocked me to the floor, then came after me. Luckily I had the presence of mind to yank the call light out of the wall before I went down, and within seconds there were 10 people in there hauling him back onto the bed and putting on the four-points. He bit one aide on the arm (he was HIV and Hep. C positive!) and kicked another nurse (who was about four months pregnant) in the belly before finally being restrained. The hospital had assault charges filed on our behalf, and the patient wound up going straight to jail after being discharged.
But if they hadn't, I'd have pressed charges myself and urged my co-workers to do so as well. Too many times facilities fail to protect their staff, and if we don't fight for ourselves, who will?
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