Physically attacked on the job?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

My gf told me of a situation where an addict threw an IV pole at her, luckily it missed. My friend's wife was kicked in the knee sustaining a minor patellar fracture.

Have you ever been attacked at work?

Specializes in Med-Surg with tele.

Physically attacked? All the time, and I'm still in nursing school! I work in a dementia unit at a nursing home, though. Goes with the territory. Usually a combative patient is not seen as a problem at my facility until the punch/scratch/bite/etc. an administrator. Nice, huh?

No one I know of at work has ever sued for injury caused by a patient. We are discouraged, generally, from filling out incident reports for this type of abuse.

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So, has anyone ever pressed charges or sued?

No one I know has ever filed charges? I'm interested now to know if it's even feasible or if this is an inherent risk to the job???

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Specializes in CCU,ICU,ER retired.

Had a little old man about 90 kick me while I was facing his face. He sliced me behind the ear like I was a pumpkin I had to get 5 stitches. His toenails were like daggers

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I hear you on sharp toenails. We're supposed to get a podiatrist to cut thick elder nails, but it never happens. During CNA clinicals, one of the tasks was to file down someone's nails (no clippers allowed). The lady whose nails I filed was ecstatic that someone had the time to do something.

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I hear you on sharp toenails. We're supposed to get a podiatrist to cut thick elder nails, but it never happens. During CNA clinicals, one of the tasks was to file down someone's nails (no clippers allowed). The lady whose nails I filed was ecstatic that someone had the time to do something.

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

I had one black eye when an 11 y/o boy punched me. However this was a children's psychiatric floor. Goes with the territory. I got punched, scratched and kicked multiple times but they were all alzheimers patients so I don't think they really count since they really didn't know what they were doing.

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Just this week-a patient who, 6 hours after surgery to repair fx leg, became hypoxic, confused and was trying to stand up-I was standing in front of him trying to talk with him,when he hit me in the shoulder, causing me to fall backwards into a chair, wall, floor, in that order. As for the question in the post about filing charges, there is no way I would (do not think I even could), because the patient had altered mental status at the time-I really feel bad for him, to tell you the truth. He had no idea what he was doing at the time. But if he had been in his right mind, and had hit me, I would be filing charges-I believe here in Fl, it is a felony.

The fall did not do a whole lot for my back problems-spondylolisthesis, but I don't think there is any more damage than is already there. The doctor who saw me did put me out of work for 3 days though-what a way to get a weekend off!

:eek:

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sure many times. i even like to take those kind of patients so the female nurses dont have to deal with it. i know i can take a punch from any guy so a patient in a weaken state lyeing on a bed, no worries.

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Oh man... I think English psych patients must be worse.... I've had fractures of my jaw, nose and a shattered patella. Not such a bad deal..... I got $10,000 (equivalent) for the jaw, a newly aligned nose and a brand new knee. You just gotta laugh. Thus far since being in America all I have had is a few names (White Honky, Limey, and a few others which I did not understand and daren't print here!) and had a few things thrown. Heck, give a patient missiles, what can you expect? ;)

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Oh man... I think English psych patients must be worse.... I've had fractures of my jaw, nose and a shattered patella. Not such a bad deal..... I got $10,000 (equivalent) for the jaw, a newly aligned nose and a brand new knee. You just gotta laugh. Thus far since being in America all I have had is a few names (White Honky, Limey, and a few others which I did not understand and daren't print here!) and had a few things thrown. Heck, give a patient missiles, what can you expect? ;)

PsychNightOwl...you must work where I used to....lol! Did you work with adolescents or adults? I work with adolescents (terrible teens!) and anything and everything was a weapon..or in their words...I am going to shank you!! Do take care of yourself...I see more of the young patients becoming more defiant, oppositional, combative & violent. There coping skills are nil, they don't know what coping skills are until they come in for treatment, then getting them to utilize "a" coping skill is whole nother ball-game. :chuckle

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I'm out of Psych now but I was in Forensic Psychiatry. ie Psychos with Rap Sheets! (And don't dare anyone give me the lesson on calling the mentally ill 'psychos'. Some of them are just that and only that. I have a wealth of experience with Norman Bates 'actalikes'). However, now I bask in the serenity of Med/Surg. And if that's an appropriate adjective to describe Med/Surg.... then I'm the Pope. ;)

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yes i got attacked by a pacient me and 2 otheraids had to hold a pacient down to someone could clean the pacient up and i was holding his arm down adn he got a hold of my wrist i thougt he was going to break it and then after the fact i went o fill out and iccendent report and the next day when i came in i called to my mangers office and got fired they didnt give mea good reasion why they fired me but i have a felling it was because of the iccdent report. thet should have laws set up to care for co workers for pacient abuse towards a co worker because it isnt fair that the pacients are allowed to kick and spit and bite but if we defend our selfs the pacients call the mangers down to report it and you get in trouble.

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