What do I do...I witnessed pt. physical abuse

[abnurse]

Help! Tonight I was assisting a nurse in dropping an NG tube. Patient was combative to the fact that it hurt. "Yes dear, they do hurt but we must do this since you took 70 or so miscellaneous pills." Attempted several times to drop the tube, she kept closing her throat. Dr. was informed as was the whole ER by her screaming, He walked in the room, began yelling..."we are going to do this one of 2 ways, My way or Your way. You can fight all you want (the pt. had her head in her hands over emesis basin, crying). Since we can't do it your way will we do it my way"...he proceeded to grab her by the hair and the chin, picked her up off the bed and slammed her back into the back of the bed and she is screaming bloody murder. The other RN and I backed away from the bed and said "I am outta here, we are not going to do this to her".

We informed the charge nurse of the incident. Now what? Do we go to the DON and the head of the ER? THis doc is not a regular staff doc, he works PRN shifts. Can I be held liable for his actions on the patient? The pt. never said anything and never did get the NG tube but several charcoal slurries.

I was and still am very upset by this incident. I am sure I will be called in and questioned about this and will not lie for the dr. I am here to help the pt. (no matter if they deserve a diploma in stupidity) not hurt them or be an accomplice in assault and battery.

Any one else ever been witness to this and what happened to you or what did you do? :angryfire

[sjoe]

Never too late to call the Police; go to the station a file a report, or if your state has magistrates, file a warrant for his arrest....THEN report to the state medical board, and seeing as I don't trust admin to to nothing more than cover up for the MD's, call the patient's family and inform of what happened...remember, if this was you or I, we would not be on this forum, since I don't know of any jails that allow inmates access to the internet. There has always been a double standard, one for docs, and one for everyone else...

This is very POOR advice. You would, rightfully, open yourself to criminal charges (breach of patient confidentiality, for one), as well as to civil charges (slander, for only one) and administrative actions (for not going through the prescribed procedures).

No matter how self-righteous one might feel, nor how full of indignation, that does not mean that mindlessly acting out these feelings is appropriate, professional, helpful, or wise.

You handled it properly already and are continuing to do so.

[jenac]

Wow- what a situation to witness! Were this pt. my sister/mother/friend- I would have a fit!!! I definately think you did the right thing here. Any bystander would find this situation abusive- including the pt. herself. What about someone who just "happens" to walk by and witness something? Or someone who overhears the situation or the staff talking about it? Forget the rest of the ER staff. It takes only one person to report suspected abuse for the sh** to hit the fan for everyone present that day.

Here's the thing- if YOU felt uncomfortable with it- it was probably wrong. Period. Good for you for doing the right thing.

[passionate]

:nono::nono::nono::nono::nono::nono::nono::nono::nono::nono::nono:Document--chart & a personal record. Fill out an incident report. Call the charge RN, include the appropriate ER Chief and Chief of Medicine. You didn't just witness abuse, you witnessed a crime and without going forward it would seem you would be part of that crime. Have you thought that your situation may be a gift for not only that patient but for anyone in the future who would be at the hands of this criminal who likes to call himself a doctor, a healer, a person who has taken an oath first do no harm? He had options--it was not just her way or his way. There was the right way and obviously he has lost sight of that. I wish you all of the strength in the world. I was always taught that as a nurse I may be the only person that an abused patient may have the opportunity to reach out to. Do it, it is the right thing to do. Perhaps you couldn't find the strength to do it at the time but ADVOCATE on behalf of that patient now. You are not in trouble a a nurse but your ethical and moral conscience is screaming out to you. Listen to your gift--your heart. You will do the right thing. Please, please post again and let us know if this website has any words of support for you. Download your responses you have received and read them over and over and over as you make your decision from today forward. The best, really, all of the best.

[passionate]

GOOD FOR YOU--YOU ARE A CREDIT TO YOUR PROFESSION AND THE HUMAN RACE. Be sure to let those within your administration who embraced this know that you appreciated their support. You had the opportunity to witness something rare--the chain of command at work. I hope you never beat yourself up over making this choice for it WAS and ALWAYS will be the right thing.

[Diary/Dairy, RN]

WOW - that is awful and needs to be reported to the hospital, and the state board!!

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

Wow, this thread is over three years old. Wonder whatever happened in the end?

[Diary/Dairy, RN]

OOPS - how did I miss that the thread was that old??

[TazziRN, RN]

I can understand digging up old posts to update on them, but why do people bump them up as though they were posted yesterday??

[EmmaG, RN]

I think it's the list of "similar threads" at the end of the thread; I've been caught a few times clicking on them not realizing how old they were... is that a new feature after the update to the board ?

[TazziRN, RN]

I think it's the list of "similar threads" at the end of the thread; I've been caught a few times clicking on them not realizing how old they were... is that a new feature after the update to the board ?

Ahhh........I noticed that feature but never paid attention to the dates. Brian? Can we fix this?

[EmmaG, RN]

Ahhh........I noticed that feature but never paid attention to the dates. Brian? Can we fix this?

So that is a new feature since the board changed? I wasn't on here all that much before the update, but I don't recall seeing those links at the bottom of the threads before. I responded to quite a few not realizing how old they were... now I try to remember to check the dates. But in my old age I still forget now and then lol.

It's kind of a neat feature in a way... perhaps it could be tweaked so that the links take you to an archive rather than allowing these years-old threads to be bumped back into existence.

[CritterLover, BSN, RN]

so that is a new feature since the board changed? i wasn't on here all that much before the update, but i don't recall seeing those links at the bottom of the threads before. i responded to quite a few not realizing how old they were... now i try to remember to check the dates. but in my old age i still forget now and then lol.

it's kind of a neat feature in a way... perhaps it could be tweaked so that the links take you to an archive rather than allowing these years-old threads to be bumped back into existence.

i don't know......sometimes i'd rather see an old thread brought up, rather than rehashing an old argument all over again.

i agree, it is pretty pointless when someone is asking for advice, and the situation occurred years ago.

but there are some debates that seem to crop up here over and over again:

• nurses and acrylic nails
  
• nurses and tattoos
  
• rn vs lpn
  
• diploma vs adn vs bsn
  
• nurses "eating their young"

just to name a few. (some of those topics have been made into stickies to keep them all in one cohesive thread).

i have noticed, though, that most of the "similar posts" at the bottom of the page tend to be fairly old.