If you have a home patient like this?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 20, 2012

Your thread has been moved to the Home Health Nursing forum with the goal of accruing more responses to your questions. Good luck with this sticky situation!

AMN74 · Apr 20, 2012

I work in a rural area and most of my patients have guns. If your patient told you he had a gun, did he seem threatening? Just owning a gun is not a reason to not see a patient, but if he says "If you do xyz procedure to me I will shoot you..." and you have an order to do xyz procedure. I would not go back and I would tell him why I can not come back. Gun safety is something I teach to my patients. I had one paralyzed guy that kept a loaded 9mm under his pillow. He told me "if you enter my house and do not let me know you are coming, I will shoot". No problem. I got the message. I always called him before I went. I called him when I got into his driveway again. And then I knocked at the door loudly and announced that I was the home health nurse. I saw him for a few months and never had a problem. The right to own a gun (if you are not a felon) is an amendment to the constitution of our country. Guns do not kill people, it's people that do not obey gun safety or who are violent that kill people.

Merlyn · Apr 20, 2012

Hi,I'm home care visiting nurse, a little bit chicken. I have a disable patient told me he has guns at home, i' m scared and really want to think abou...not seeing this patient....am I overacting or too sensitive? I told my agency, they said the patient maybe just make a joke and do not take it for true or think he will shoot at you at his home. But this is the thing always bothering me since I started to see him....what should i do?Thanks a lot for any typing...

He might be joking or not. If I were you, I wouldn't take the chance. Drop him from your patient list. But me being devious. I would get a water pistol carry it in your nursing bag and let it drop out where he can see it. Say this exactly, " I have a permit to pack. Don't say to carry, say to pack makes you sound like you know how to use it. Then if he complains you can all say the gun is my nephew's or son's. But that is just me. But just watch yourself. Of course the smart thing to do is call the police if you are scared.

AMN74 · Apr 21, 2012

So I work in a really bad part of town sometimes. Shootings and drug deals going on 24/7, especially a rough place to be at night. We have NO back up....The old home health agency I worked for would allow us to call the police to escort us in at night if we had to go out. This home health agency I work for now, while management is fully aware of the bad neighborhoods do nothing but tell us to be careful if we go out. Nearly 6 years ago I got a permit to buy a gun. I bought a .38 revolver because a 9mm didn't feel right in my hand. A few months later I went to classes and got my permit to carry. My gun is usually under the seat of my car where I can grab it quickly, but at night if I'm going into a bad part of town...I'm packing. I NEVER announce this, I NEVER show off my gun. In fact very few people know I have a gun. The ONLY time you'll ever see me pull it out is if I intend to use it, or if I go target practicing at the gun range. I grew up with guns in my house and my dad always told me to never pull out a gun and wave it around to try to scare someone. The person you are trying to scare will take that gun from you while your mind is "wavering" and use it against you, or shoot you. If a gun is drawn out, you should expect that the patient/or you if you pack has the intent to shoot. So, with that said....Again, unless the patient threatened you with his gun or waved it in your face like he would shoot you...or if he tells you he is going to use it...I don't see that as a reason to NOT go see the patient...You'll find that like the other poster said about 1/3 of Americans have guns. It is all in the intent and use of the gun that would make me nervous. If he told you in a threatening manner then I would have walked out the door that day and let him and my manager know...maybe even call the police... but if he's just telling you he has a gun and you need to make your entry to his house KNOWN....he's of no harm if you listen to what he tells you. You'd loose a lot of your caseload if you refused to take all people that own a gun. I have discharged people for leaving crack pipes and burnt up cigarette lighters out on the table in plain sight. If you don't have respect enough for me as your nurse to put your crap away...I'm not trusting that you have respect for me at all. I'm a little concerned about getting a water pistol and letting it somehow be seen. IF he told you he has a gun, and you are flaunting one, he could see that as a threat and YOU could be putting yourself in danger. That is not the way to handle the situation, IMHO.

micstn · Apr 21, 2012

Thanks all, whatever my situation is but happy to read your posts and learn your experience.

caliotter3 · Apr 21, 2012

If you really are that uncomfortable, I would just ask to get a different patient.

caliotter3 · Apr 21, 2012

If my employers ever found out I had a gun, or any other item I could use to defend myself, they would see that I didn't work for them any longer. Likewise, they would insure that I didn't get a new employer. As a matter of fact, one of my employers got rid of me when I was assaulted on the job. That is how much they cared what happened to me. They also saw to it that I didn't get hired again. I couldn't get another job until I got around being blacklisted. All, because I was a victim of assault at work.

Merlyn · Apr 21, 2012

If my employers ever found out I had a gun, or any other item I could use to defend myself, they would see that I didn't work for them any longer. Likewise, they would insure that I didn't get a new employer. As a matter of fact, one of my employers got rid of me when I was assaulted on the job. That is how much they cared what happened to me. They also saw to it that I didn't get hired again. I couldn't get another job until I got around being blacklisted. All, because I was a victim of assault at work.

Keep the weapon you know the old saying better to be judged by 12 then carried by 6.

caliotter3 · Apr 21, 2012

Guess what I sleep with? I've never been shy about it. Some things change your way of looking at things, sadly to say.

RNMom2010 · Apr 22, 2012

What is the reason that your pt has guns? Is the pt a hunter? Shoot for sport? For safety? Any pysch issues? Educate the pt that you will be unable to see him if the guns are not stored away during your visit. If pt is a responsible gun owner that will not be too much to ask. If pt refuses to put guns away, inform pt your agency is unable to complete visits until it is stored.

Alex Egan, LPN, EMT-B · Apr 24, 2012

Hi,My first question is did the patent threaten you in any way. Just the presence of guns does not equal an increased threat. I have come across many patents with guns in my EMS carrier and generally a verbal disagreement or me walking into a situation were the only times I have had a gun pulled on me. I have found a pistol or two under pillows when i lift patents, I skimpily pick it up not touching the trigger and place it on the nearest table or if the patent wishes I will secure it as they like. I even had a state trooper hand me his gun when he had to ride with a patent in the back of his patrol car (long story) the point is be afraid of the patent not the gun, if the patent is violent then you shouldn't be there in the first place, the gun is just a tool, like a hammer or knife.