Taken by suprise

[night owl]

The other day I was giving one of our residents his medications and he asked me to clean out his inhaler. No problem I thought. I took it apart and wiped the top part out and was going for the chamber when the resident grabbed it out of my hand and said,

"You f%^*ing nurses nurses don't know what the h*ll you're doing! You went to some obsolete f*%&ing nurses school to learn absolutely nothing by sitting on your fat a$$es all day and all night long!!!" Wellllllllllll, I don't know what I did to make him snap and thought I had a pretty good rapore with him. So I said to him, "Perhaps since you already know how to clean it, maybe better than I, you may get involved in your plan of care and clean it for me and for you." Translation, "kiss my azz and do it yourself b/c I've got other things to do!" I was shocked, humiliated, hurt, degraded and numb all at one time. Now I treat him with kid gloves so he doesn't do this again b/c if he does, I may lose my job. Anyone ever have someone go off on you for no reason and if so how did you handle it?

[nell]

Originally posted by Nurse Ratched

"Good - now I don't mind being yelled at, but would you let me earn it first?" (smile).

Ummmmm....... any other professions where someone would put up with being yelled at?

[l.rae]

Sundowning???

[pebbles, BSN, RN]

Why does there have to be a reason... and excuse?

Sometimes people just go off on us for no good reason.

It's still not okay to be treated like this - we are professionals doing a job.

Maybe the hospitals should provide patients with those inflatable punching bags that have a weight in the bottom, just to take out their frustrations...

[leesonlpn]

When he was done ranting and raving, you should have beaconed him closer, whispered in his ear and said "I know you have a small member, but you don't have to take it out on me"

He can't bring you up on it and accuse you of saying anything because well... then....EVERYONE would know.

[Tookie]

Some good advice and comments here l particularly like the thoughts of RN PA - about empowering the people that are in our care - So often we can tend to take over unknowingly.

For some of us we can inadvertantly take this away - l thought too immediately of dementia and other reasons - what you did was good - making sure you document - passing on to the next shift your strategies for managing him - are you able to make the documentation citing the behaviour as a potential hazard.

We would document this behavoiur - and in our care plans - it would then in a sense be seen as part of his behavoiur and our r OHS risk management.Not sure how it works over there.

Hope that the next shift was much better for you

Tookie

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

In my world everyone is entitled to a psychotic break once in awhile so long as they forgive mine. I expect an apology and no physical wounds, but if you are having a "moment" it's OK, just get over it and move on when you are done. That goes for coworkers as well as patients.

[duckie]

Sending you (((((HUGS))))) with wishes for a much better tomorrow!!!

[duckie]

Sending you (((((HUGS))))) and wishes for much better tomorrow!!!!

[inSANE]

I had a patient's husband yell at me once "When I call for you, you better come running, when I say jump you say how high". I was shocked at first, then just started laughing. He was sooo pissed and said "what in the h#ll are you laughing at?" I replied "you must have mistaken me for your wife, or pet." And walked back down to the nurses station. Each time I had to go into her room, I completely ignored him as if he didn't exist. And I only took her answers, not his. What a D#CK! :angryfire

[mattsmom81]

I think you handled it well....I would not have been so kind, I'm afraid. It's frustrating that the health care system will blame US if the patient gets mad...we hear "What did YOU do to DESERVE that?' I'm sorry but nobody deserves that!!

I'm happy to see anti violence policies coming into place at workplaces today as for many years we had no recourse.

I think as nurses we take abuse as part of the job too often...and we need to start combat it by insisting on antiviolence policies, and documenting and followup on angry abusive outbursts.

I've seen way too many patients wale on nurses and excused because 'they have dementia'. It's time this crap gets stopped, IMO.