Someone gave me a knuckle SW and I'm NPO!!!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Medsurge.

VIOLENCE AT WORK

How do you handle it? Had a patient almost hit me squarely with a knuckle sandwich and the aide (sitter) in the room freaked and stated she would demand not to be on the case any longer. Called for family to come in to see patient; patient calmed down...eventually.

Let me know your tai chi of dealing with violence, common in this day and age. What is your secret to handling a violent SOB?! and I don't mean short of breath LOL

Funny cartoon at icu journal! (click on website link)

http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFilePath=journals/ijeicm/vol1n2/cartoon1.xml

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Specializes in geriatrics,med/surg,vents.

That's awful,how are you doing?

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Specializes in ER, Occupational Health, Cardiology.

Do what is necessary to protect yourself, and tell someone (the aide) to call Security stat. Do not try to calm the pt, because that isn't going to happen, at that point. Get yourself and anyone else within range out of the room. The pt's safety is important, but not at the risk of injury to yourself or other staff members.:uhoh3:

Did you get checked out in ER? I hope that you are doing okay.

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Specializes in Too many to list.

If the hospital is going to keep that patient, should they not provide security?

Or maybe, the police should be involved...

I don't have any answers, just concern for you having to work in an unsafe

situation. You have rights too. One of them should be a safe working

environment.

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http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFilePath=journals/ijeicm/vol1n2/cartoon1.xml

VIOLENCE AT WORK

How do you handle it? Had a patient almost hit me squarely with a knuckle sandwich and the aide (sitter) in the room freaked and stated she would demand not to be on the case any longer. Called for family to come in to see patient; patient calmed down...eventually.

Let me know your tai chi of dealing with violence, common in this day and age. What is your secret to handling a violent SOB?! and I don't mean short of breath LOL

Actually, the hospital I want to work at, my friend works there on the Neuro ward and they tend to get a lot of patients who are Baker Acted, and they attend some type of self defense class for health care workers. It in NO WAY taught them to put their hands on the patient in an aggressive manner, but it did teach them how to physically protect themselves...ways to approach these volatile patients, and ways to "call for help" should you get in a situation where you cannot reach the call button nor call out for help (This was an actual situation my friend had). Maybe you can contact your Nurse Manager and see if your employer has something like this or maybe you could help them initiate a program like this at your place of employment.

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Can a nurse leaglly file assault charges on a patient??? Luckly I have never been in this situation.....but I an curious...

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Can a nurse leaglly file assault charges on a patient??? Luckly I have never been in this situation.....but I an curious...

I believe this depends on the state you're in. Here in Washington (state), assaulting a healthcare worker during the performance of their job is a Class C Felony.

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Specializes in neuro/ortho med surge 4.
Can a nurse leaglly file assault charges on a patient??? Luckly I have never been in this situation.....but I an curious...

I live in NH and if I am legally able to file a battery charge against a patient who assaults me I will not hesitate (unless the patient is delerious or demented).

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Specializes in cardiac/critical care/ informatics.
Can a nurse leaglly file assault charges on a patient??? Luckly I have never been in this situation.....but I an curious...

yes it is assualt, now if the patient is confused or demented that is another story.

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I have a friend who works in a Level I NICU. She has to face very traumatic things all the time and this day was like all the others, so she thought. An infant who had so many medical issues I cannot name, passed away. She faces this on an almost daily basis and is used to, as one can be, to the effects it has on the families. She cleaned up the infant and took her to the family room, the families are allowed to spend time with the infants. When she placed the baby in the mom's arms of course the mom had the gut wrenching scream, as she is used to this, she kept walking towards the door to give the family time. As she put her hand on the door she felt a dull stab to her right scapula. Of course she jumped and threw her elbow back. She hit her emergency call button on her pager and the security came. All to find out the father of this poor baby had stabbed her with a butter knife he got out of the cafeteria earlier. My friend is physically ok, only a bruise. She was approached by the police who arrested the man as to whether she wanted to press charges or not. She felt Horrible for the situation the family was in and the stress she was under. She had 48 hours to press charges and they took the husband away. I know this is an extreme case but unfortunately things like this do happen.

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

When I was an aid working in a group home where we frequently had to bring the residents down to the floor and restrain them, I once got kicked right in the ear.. really hurt, but no permanent damage. What it taught me was to keep my head out of range of limbs!! (especially legs)

You need to keep your distance from those volatile patients. Do you have a "restraint personnel required" overhead code? I always call security if I have any question about the patient's propensity for violence and if they seem to be getting agitated. There is something about men or women in uniform that will either bring the situation to a head and or calm the patient down. In the former case, you have security there to help.

If you do have a "code green" or "restraint personnel required" code, it is quite astounding what about a dozen people, including security will do to calm down patients. They are trained to de-escalate these situations and approach the patient kindly and calmly. Never hesitate to use your resources.

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working in an inpt hospice facility, i am always the bearer of bad news.

one time, the adult son of my pt., attempted to strangle me right after i pronounced death.

i remember him having such hatred in his eyes, screaming, "you killed my mother", "you killed my mother!!"

i actually lost consciousness.

police were called.

i remember feeling so torn about pressing charges.

i didn't.

but police did.

i had vertical ecchymotic areas on both sides of my throat...

this happens too frequently.

a few family members have become extremely angry at me, stating morphine/methadone/dilaudid, whatever the drug, killed their love one.

we now have security at our facility.

leslie

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