Verbal Abuse and Nursing

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Have any of you experienced verbal abuse during your job??? Just curious -

Thank You -

Jack

Have any of you experienced verbal abuse during your job??? Just curious -

Thank You -

Jack

]:yeah: One two many times! Especially after the second day of surgery, so confused and disoriented, they become suspicious , sometimes you can't help but laugh! If you take it personally all timei it tends to drain you! Deal with it according to protocol and notify family members. and appropiate staff!

Specializes in Staff nurse.

Always document by quoting patient or visitor (or staff member). If we see a trend we can get a psych consult or a PRN...or determine if it may be withdrawal. Or if it is just plain rotten manners.

Putting it on paper covers me from any accusations later on. My notes may say something like "pt. called this nurse a '------------------------------' because PRN meds not due at this time. This nurse tried to reassure pt. meds would be given when due; and encouraged to change position in bed, have lights and tv volume low/off to encourage rest. Pt stated "I want my ^%$##%^&( meds now, I want the charge nurse". Nancy Nurse, RN told of situation and will talk to pt. when available"......................psalm RN.

Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

Yes, but not as often as it was 20yrs ago.

Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.

I'm really shocked that any healthcare professional is posting that they were "verbally abused" by an Alzheimer's Patient!!!!!

Alzheimer's Patient's....people...that goes along with the disorder. They are literally, not in their right mind.

I was verbally and physically abused just last week by a drunken 21 year old who had to be physically taken down by security AND the police! I didnt take it personally because she was beyond drunk to the point she ****** all over herself in the ambulance. When I went to get her blood pressure, she tried to kick me, and security took her down in one move. When I wasnt looking she actually DID kick me, and the police took her down that time.

And I am still on orientation!

Later that night, I got a SI (suicide idealation) patient who called us nurses every name in the book. She was in 4 point restraints with a spit guard and I got close to her face and told her in a very firm voice she will NOT speak to us in that language. She later apologized.

Specializes in Pediatrics.

Well, gotten yelled at a few times by doctors, which sucked but I got over it and wouldn't call abusive by any stretch, and never from another nurse. The only experience I would call "verbal abuse" was with a patient's ?grandmother/aunt. Literally screaming in my face for several minutes about the noise of the pulse ox machine (I should also add that this child was not even my patient; I was just walking down the hall and heard the monitor alarm and had not met this woman before), with the child awake and watching/listening to it with eyes all huge and looking scared. I tried to listen and rationalize with her but she was having none of it. It was horrible. Luckily someone walking by heard her eventually, and grabbed another nurse to come to the room. I guess I'm lucky that's the worst that's happened to me.

Edit: I think what made it so hard for me was that this was not a patient (kids scream at you or get upset allll the time!!) or someone with any kind of mental illness or dementia.

Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.

i work in psych and have been called just about every name in the book. some of which i did not even know existed. just part of the territory with psych nursing and to be honest it does not even phase me anymore (in my personal or professional life). to be honest most of the time when its something truely horrefic or offensive i have to hold back from laughing :yeah:. and angry psychotic patients love when you laugh at them... take my word for it. :icon_roll

Specializes in LTC/Behavioral/ Hospice.

I work with psych patients. Those with borderline personality disorders are excellent at verbal abuse. It happens daily where I work. I ignore it after I've addressed the main complaint, if there is even one. It isn't personal, even though they really know how to make it appear so. Watch for signs that it may be escalating to physical aggression, though. Better to get the Haldol into them before that happens.

Also, understand that it isn't your fault they are being abusive. You can do everything right. You can be as kind and compassionate as any human being can be, and they are still going to be verbally abusive. Sometimes, you can redirect them and help them to get under control, sometimes Haldol will. It is not a reflection of YOU.

The families are far more verbally abusive than the patients. I work in acute care and in theory, on my unit, the patients should have a two - ten day stay.

We deal with patients from all over northern Canada due to being a specialty unit. We've been cussed out in more languages than you could imagine. The latest was we were "all useless *******" because we couldn't pull a flight to one of the northern outposts out of our hats. I'm talking about a town that bushpilots fly into once a week and they knew this. But the doctor said the patient could go home and they wanted to go home now!!.

One family went as far as to tell the unit clerk that "back home we'd all be whipped because we weren't polite" enough to them and that we should be honoured to serve their guests teas and coffees. Really. Now we don't serve any food/drink to anyone other than the patients.

But we just bite our tongues and save the verbal abuse stories for the medroom. The best one is usually posted on a bulletin board.

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