Pt and sexual advances

uscstu4lfe · Sep 11, 2008

ideally, you'd want to say something witty like "unfortunately, based on my assessment i think this dilaudid shot has more to offer me than you do."

professionaly, you'd want to say something like "that's not appropriate at all, sir."

occc2010rn · Sep 11, 2008

ideally, you'd want to say something witty like "unfortunately, based on my assessment i think this dilaudid shot has more to offer me than you do."

winsteadcm · Sep 11, 2008

most of the time i can just ignore them. but i've gotten comfortable in my job, and now i can look at someone and tell them that they will not speak to me that way. if it continues, i go for an authority figure.

we've had problems like this before and our assistant manager was pretty good at handling it.

however i did have a patient one day that i could not handle. he was IVC and had a mental history.

i was standing in the room talking to the nightshift NA and he stood up, walked over, and told me he had something to show me right before exposing himself.

i was digusted. but i told myself i could handle it.

my shift started at 0645 and at 0730 i had a new assignment. not 15 minutes after the other NA left, he started up. i could see him looking at me out of the corner of his eye (i was sitting with him because of the IVC order) and finally i looked over at him.

he had pulled down his sheets and boxers, and was playing with himself while smiling at me.

i got up, asked the male nurse who was standing across the hall to watch him for me, and went straight to the charge nurse. she was still getting report, but when i burst into tears trying to explain what the problem was, she found me someone to switch with.

i was so angry. the man was 25 years old and knew everything else that was going on, depsite his illness. so i know that he knew what he was doing. he even saw me later and mentioned it.

but it still makes me sick. if we had been in any other setting, he would have gone to jail for what he did. but since he was in a hospital, we just had to put up with it.

lpnflorida · Sep 11, 2008

I had a patient the other day who kept "hitting" on me and it made me very uncomfortable. I gave him his Dilaudid shot, he then said he wanted to give ME a shot, but not of drugs. (You know what he was referring to.) He then would tell me to come and lie in the bed with him and watch tv, etc. He also was hitting on the housekeeping staff. He was married and maintained himself when she was present. I dont know how to handle situations like that. What do you say to patients who act like that? I want to handle it professionally, without causing a scene and still be able to maintain the nurse/patient relationship. I dreaded going into his room.

If he says anything to you in future. Put on your most professional face and say " I will discuss this with your wife first and I am pretty sure you will understand the outcome of your comment to me" then simply walk out of the room and let him think about it. :yeah:

HappyPediRN · Sep 11, 2008

Winstead, I have been in the same position as you and I believe you did the right thing. You're not going to be able to reason with someone like this and they feed off your reaction so it's best to not give them one. There is a patient in my hospital who masturbates in front of me and ONLY me. The staff didn't believe me at first until two other people witnessed it. He required a 1:1 and I was not allowed in his room because for some reason I really agitated him. I went in one day to check on the nursing assistant and as soon as I walked out he stood up and started pulling on his line and his catheter. It took three people to restrain him and get him in bed. Needless I haven't been in the room since.

BelleKat, BSN, RN · Sep 11, 2008

Wow,I think some pt would have a lap full of ice cubes and water if they did something like that to me,of course I'd probably get fired for it........

DusktilDawn · Sep 11, 2008

I just simply state that "It's not in my job description."

pagandeva2000, LPN · Sep 11, 2008

No matter what, document the behavior.

mama_d, BSN, RN · Sep 11, 2008

Absolutely document it.....

Explain to him that his behavior is inappropiate and it must stop. Ask him before care if he is going to behave appropiately, when it is just him in the room initially...then ask in front of his wife as well. Usually helps to nip it in the bud.