Sexual assaults within hospitals...

Nurses General Nursing

Published

There's a story out today about alleged attack at Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center, in Southern California. One employee is under arrest for reportedly trying to rape a severely injured female patient. The technician at the hospital allegedly climbed into the bed of an orthopedic patient on Sunday and grabbed and fondled the heavily medicated patient.

To be honest, I've known this to happen in other hospitals I've been affiliated with (in this case, with an elderly and very confused woman). Somehow, the employee was terminated and the whole affair was swept under the carpet. The incident never appeared in the media.

My question: Have you ever know of sexual assaults occuring where you work? How were they handled?

Doesn't the public deserve to know if a hospital security is lax?

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I honestly know of NO such cases ANY place I have worked. I cannot say it never has happened----but if it has, I am unaware. DISTURBING!:( Oh and yes, I believe the public DOES have the right to know about such breeches in security and safety and that would INCLUDE those of who WORK at such places!!!!

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

A visitor was raped in the stairwell by another visitor in my hospital a few months ago. Apparently they had met in the O.R. waiting room, and had had a fairly friendly conversation- nothing out of the ordinary. The rapist asked the woman if she could show him the way to the pedway, and he attacked her. The news got wind of the event, and our administrators went on saying how they had warned their staff of the situation ( the guy was still at large at the time), and had informed us not to use the stairs, and not to go to the pharmacy, etc. by ourselves. They did none of this. We found out on the news like everyone else, and by word of mouth from each other. I have never heard of any staff-on-patient assaults, though, but then again, most of our patients are pretty rough themselves, and could probably really hurt somebody who even tried.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

A few months ago there was a case in the hospital i work at in which a vistior befriended another visitor on the surgery waiting area, managed to get in in the stairwell and raped her. He told her a lot of info on who he was visiting and the eventually caught the guy. The scary thing is that most of the staff found out by watching the news in patients rooms or visitors. The hospital administration thought it would be best to not "alarm staff and vistitors" WHATEVER I use those srairs and if anything happened to me you know I would be suing since they knew about the danger.

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Only heard stories on the newsmedia. If it ever happened anywhere I worked I never caught wind of it.

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There was a CNA that allegedly raped a female psych pt. Also a manager that was arrested for possessing child Media. NOt sure what happened to them.

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
Originally posted by NurseLKY

A few months ago there was a case in the hospital i work at in which a vistior befriended another visitor on the surgery waiting area, managed to get in in the stairwell and raped her. He told her a lot of info on who he was visiting and the eventually caught the guy. The scary thing is that most of the staff found out by watching the news in patients rooms or visitors. The hospital administration thought it would be best to not "alarm staff and vistitors" WHATEVER I use those srairs and if anything happened to me you know I would be suing since they knew about the danger.

Amy, I believe we work in the same hospital. Pm me if you want- we probably know each other!
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Originally posted by [email protected]

Amy, I believe we work in the same hospital. Pm me if you want- we probably know each other!

Wow-that's crazy! So, do you know each other??

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Wow, these stories are wild -- but not unexpected.

I have fairly limited hospital experience, yet I knew of an actual patient rape including intercourse. When I thought about it, and all the opportunities for various hospital employees to commit some form of sexual assault (from grabbing a quick feel to actual intercourse), I really wondered.

Geez, various non-professonal hospital employees have more opportunities than priests. And look where that got the Catholic church.

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Specializes in Corrections, Psych, Med-Surg.

I just wonder--who would have the TIME? Not RNs.

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Specializes in ICU-Stepdown.

Never heard of such in any facility I've worked at. But heard of an employee getting mugged in the parking lot, late night shift, at one facility I worked at. The suggestion was to use security to escort you.

Our security was composed of retirees. Personally, I wouldn't have felt too secure with them (pun intended).

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Specializes in Mostly LTC, some acute and some ER,.

I don't think that's ever happened at my job. It is sad for those who are fondled as patients!!! Its nasty! I only touch what I have to touch for hygene purposes only. Peri care is in NO way my favorite part of the job, I don't want my hand there any longer than it has to be there. imagine if you were helpless, unable to speak, but somewhat oriented to the fact that some sick was getting pleasure from fondling you. i would never want to be treated that way, and I treat my patients how I would like to be treated in that situation.

Sicko's are out there, and they do not belong in the medical field.

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