I am a male nurse working on a med-surg unit . My shift is nights. I am wondering how or if it is even possible to protect yourself from complaints by female patients for "touching them inappropriately." I have had this happen twice. One was a 74 year old lady , pysch history. When I woke her up to take her 0600 meds she acted very very scared. Much more fear than out of the ordinary. Of course I apologized for startling her, gave the meds and left. A few days later the hospital was investigating a complaint she made stating I touched her inappropriately. I had floated to this floor one time only, seen this pt one time only. However her complaint was that one day I was a nurse, one day a lab person, one day dressed as a doctor and even a black man one day. One would think that this complaint might cause you to suspect that she has some issues. The hospital investigated, found no basis for the complaint. The end I thought. Approx. 3 days later I was called down to the nursing office and was left with two detectives from the local police department who questioned me for 3 hours about the incident. It seems the husband was not happy with the hospitals findings so he went to the police. Again nothing came of this.
The second complaint just recently was another lady late 60's in on an overdose. She was unhappy because the pain med ordered by her MD did not meet her criteria. I explained to her over and over that I could not give meds not ordered, or increase frequency without an MD's order. She had a hep locked IV in her hand and I had to give her an antibiotic. This was done with no problem. The next day I was assigned te same patient and before I actually saw how ever the charge nurse came to me and said that the patient did not want me to take care of her. I was not sorry about this and gladly accepted a switch in patients. However I learned that she has no complained that she did not like the way I touched her hand when flushing the hep locked IV, The charge nurse asked if I was not gentle, was I rude etc. She responded that she just did not like it. Over the weekend I got a telephone message from my nursing supervisor stating this lady had made a complaint about me. Her message was "I know you did nothing wrong, but in the light of what happened last year we need to talk." I called back she is on vacation for a week. Leaving me to worry about this.
I am so frustrated with this. The other nurses I work with when I have talked to them about this first reaction is "YOU?????" Of all people I am more careful re: touching any patient in a way to make them uncomfortable. I am much, much more careful than any of the other RNs when it comes to not exposing patients. I always ask for permission, and explain what I am doing. Every complaint has been with a older female, most with pysch issues. I have had many female patients and their families request I take care of them or their family member.
It seems that all it takes is one angry, vindicative patient to ruin your career. I have had two thoughts regarding this. One is to leave nursing entirely. The other is to make it very clear to the hospital and patients that complain that I will take legal action against the patient for slander or defamation. Really I doubt this would ever get me anything, most of these patients have no money, etc. The fact is I don't want their money, I want them to be made to be responsible for what they say.
Despite all this I really do love being a RN caring for so many fine people. I live every day at my job in fear that someone will say something. Of course you are guilty until proven innocent, and even when proven innocent a cloud of suspicion follows you.
As for suggestions we have a patient ratio at night o 1:10, with 1 or 2 CNA's for30 patients so it s not always possible to get a female nurse, CNA to join you when working with a female patient.
