Has anyone ever had to call Police & file charges against a Patient?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in ED, CTSurg, IVTeam, Oncology.

has anyone ever had to call police & file charges against a patient?

part 1. if so, what support did you get from your administration? did they back you, or did they purposely obstruct your case or discouraged you from pursuing it? did your hospital use it's team of lawyers to back you up or use them to threaten you instead?

part 2. what, if any, legislation is active in your state that protects nurses from being assaulted while on duty, or in uniform?

thanks to all respondents ;)

Specializes in Acute Care.

No experience in #1

If this (scary) article is correct: http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=128538&provider=top looks like its just second-degree assault here in Colorado. I personally this assault on a healthcare worker should fall in to the same category as assault on a peace/police officer.

When I worked as a Med Aid in an Alzheimer's unit we had to call the cops once.

A very aggressive patient grabbed an aid by the arm very hard and the rest of us staff ( all females)

could not get him to let go. We called the cops basicly to get a stronger person to help.

Patient ended up going to a psych. facility.

Specializes in med-surg, psych, ER, school nurse-CRNP.

When I worked psych, I had a patient kick me. The DON asked if I wanted to press charges and said that she would support me. I elected not to, due in part to the fact that the patient apologized, of her own free will, and partly because it just didn't seem worth it. I wasn't hurt that badly, and she had a much rougher time after the 5-man tackle she was hit with after she kicked me.

A coworker took a man to court that kicked her in the head AFTER he knocked her down. The judge acquitted him, since he was a psych patient. Said he didn't know what he was doing. He told the judge point blank that he did it and why, and he still got to walk.

Our justice system with respect to healthcare workers being assaulted is awful.

I haven't but I know others who have. I have read about managers being less than supportive and wanting to sweep things under the rug, but that wouldn't happen where I work. As a nurse you retain the same rights as any other civilian and are completely within your right to press charges if assaulted. Also, be sure to see a doctor immediately even if you don't think you are injured. Let them check you and have it documented.

I haven't however heard of a legal team getting involved and trying to coerce a nurse, etc. into not pressing chargtes or threatening them in any way. If that is happening please call a lawyer ASAP and protect yourself.

When I was assaulted on the job, my employer blamed me for the incident and never provided me with work again. I have no idea what laws my state has in place for nurses being victims of assault.

I have had the patient call the cops on me (of course she was psychotic, but they did come).

Specializes in Cardiac, ER.

I'm in Missouri,.assaulting a health care provider is equal to assaulting an officer of the law. I work ER and have sent several pts out in handcuffs with my supervisor applause!

Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

Any psychologically intact person who is NOT under the influence of mind-bending meds--as far as I am concerned--will go to jail--cops, lights, anything and everything...in a heartbeat.

No one on God's green earth is going to take me away from my family--or even THINK about hurting me without wishing he was no longer a member of the human race.

No exceptions.

Specializes in ED, CTSurg, IVTeam, Oncology.

Just take a look at what this guy wrote:

http://www.bostoncriminalattorneyblog.com/2009/07/criminal_assault_battery_prote_1.html

...and then perhaps some good news:

http://www.articlealley.com/article_1256408_36.html

Specializes in Paramedic.

As cardiac states in missouri where I am it is an equal offense to harm and or assault a health care provider. I have personally watched a pt get tazed for trying to inflict bodily harm on my partner and I.... Its a big no no to come after anyone i work with or myself i just don't put up with it.

In IL it's a felony to commit battery on a health care worker. The justification...? The assumption is that the charge will probably be plea bargained down to a lesser degree. Therefore a charge will still stick.

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