Anger or violence from a patient or family?

[hrn1]

Hi! I am a new hospice RN and was recently talking with a nurse at one of the facilities where I see patients. She had been a hospice rn but quit after another nurse at her company was visiting a patient who went to the bathroom and shot himself.

Has anyone ever been in a dangerous situation with a patient or family? So far my experience has been positive and I've never felt threatened - just wondering if this has been an issue for anyone (hopefully not).

[LMTRN]

I've been in homes in neighborhoods that I wouldn't want to visit at night, but I've never had an individual patient or family member that I was afraid of. People are usually pretty glad to see us.

[SoCalRN1970]

I agree with the previous poster. I know for sure that there are areas that are just not safe day or night, but I have gone to them in order to see a patient. I never felt unsafe...

Most patients who are going to take their lives are planning this.. and although I know nobody who has seen this personally.. it does happen in hospice time to time. I have never heard of any nurses that Ihave worked with in a dangerous situation. However.. ONE patient I was seeing had his pcg family member caring for him. This pcg wore a huge knife on his belt.. I spoke to my agency who did NOTHING about it. So, I bravely addreseed it with the family. The PCG was a retired BIKER who wore that knife as part of his daily outfit. Bizarre as it sounds, we worked it so he'd take it off and keep it out of sight when I was there.

Mind you.. my old agency DID NOTHING about this. Could of cared less.