Nurse pressing charges

[Girlygirl69]

55 y/o male just finds out he has terminal CA. RN comes in room to administer meds and pt becomes verbally then physically abusive. Patient throws meal tray at RN hitting her in the face. No permanent damage just a really swollen black eye. Pt is deemed alert and oriented times three, would you press charges?

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

The OP says it as terminal. It can be "what if'd to death". Make it a universal situation where that's not what the OP says.

Context, and shades of gray- that's my main point.

As I've said repeatedly, no, he should not have thrown the tray.

My point is - AGAIN- that battery involves intent to harm. If he'd been holding the tray, waiting for the nurse, and beaned her as soon as she walked in the door- fine. Get the police.

But as I've also said, knock yourself out- charge the guy. I'll be sitting with his family during the trial.

It's obvious people like to have people arrested, sued, punished, etc. This isn't about cancer per se- it's about a situation that isn't the norm..NO he should not have thrown the tray- but I don't see that INTENT to harm the nurse was the goal...

You don't like my response....and my response to THIS situation, in the OP- not the myriad of other possibilities, isn't going to change. SO keep what if-ing. Seems like a waste of time

[Jenni811, RN]

Probably not, if it was just a swollen black eye. If i had any damage to my eye, or required any medical treatment then Yes, i would press charges.

Just because were are nurses does not mean we don't have rights. We have the right to not be treated like that by our patients. I don't care if he has cancer or not. The fact you have cancer does not make it ok to treat someone like that. No excuses!

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Well, let's turn this around the other way-

If I had just gotten some shocking news, whatever it was, it was bad enough that I wanted to beat the crap out of someone...anyone. I wanted to tear down the building, cuss out the LOL next to me and poop down someone's neckhole. Now I doubt I'd do it, because I've developed these things called coping skills. But say then someone brought in green Jello, and it was enough to bring me over the edge. I can understand being angry enough and tired enough to hit someone.

After it was all over, what would I expect from my caregiver? I think a reasonable person would apologize profusely, explain, and apologize again. Send flowers, cookies. Perhaps an argument could be made that calling the police is overkill, but I'd sure understand if they did, in spite of my circumstances, and inspite of my apologies.

I think once party A takes an action that wounds party B they have to be willing to hang around and face the consequences. Accountability is the sign of a reasonable humna being. If that means facing charges, man up and do it.

[msgirl68]

The Nurse NEEDS much more professional distance from the patients. People have gotten way too familiar and disrespectful of nurses. I think a major contributing factor to this is the freedom ie. basically open visitation at all hours that is given. The general public didn't have such access to hospitals even in the 1980's. With more distance, they gave nurses more respect. What we have going on today is a big joke. They are even taking over ICU'S!! My education, experience and training means nothing when a burger maker can tell me how to do my job and complain nonstop while trying to intimidate me. I just laugh because these fools can't see what will be a reality. I am 43 yrs old and have no plans on hitting even 45 in the nursing business! They all will soon have to pay for a private duty nurse.

[sistasoul]

I don't know what the right answer is in this situation. I do know that the way nurses are treated and talked to by some patients would not be tolerated in other professions. If an alert and oriented x 3 person became demanding and belligerent in a dunkin donuts they would be kicked out of the establishment and would be lucky if the police were not called.

The nursing profession as a whole takes a lot of abuse.

[JDougRN, BSN, RN]

Funny- I posted on this thread when it first was placed-Since then I've been attacked by a psych patient in my ED, seperated my tendon from the bone in my foot. Did I press charges- BET YOUR SWEET BUTT I did. I think this goes back to the original question- Is it acceptable to attack a nurse while on duty- Nope. And the PD was VERY happy to make sure he found all of the charges possible. Now, because this person has a psychiatric issue, should I just accept the abuse? Or is this person (Who came to us from a "half-way house type situation, but who had a LOOOOONNNGGGG psych admission hx.) someone who perhaps isn't "stable" enough to be out in public. I've been out of work for almost 2 weeks now, not to mention being fairly uncomfortable. RN after my name does NOT give someone permission to abuse me.

[-Just-A-Nurse-]

i have seen facilitiesback nurses 100% and press charges themselves and I ahve seen others that have "lost" incident reports and badgered that injured employee and threaten them not to press charges.

I'm currently working Psych and my employer expects us to "understand that we are dealing with people in crisis" and we "understand there is a risk involved," essentially allowing said behavior whether in an active state of psychosis or not! Multiple co-workers (CHBT's and nurses alike) have been injured by these patients and there is no legal recourse for them. I count myself lucky to have had only a few scars and minor soft tissue injuries to date.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

No no no no!!!! Slugging the doctor is unacceptable as well. The doc was doing his job and reporting his findings. How is that worthy of being assaulted?????

I wasn't serious about slugging the doctor. I did wonder, though, what approach the doctor used. Some doctors have a better bedside manner than others.

Or maybe the patient was just totally a jerk.

I can understand how a patient would be seriously upset when given terrible news. It does not, though, give license to violence anyone - doc, nurse, other.

[Clara Mendieta RN]

This was a hypothetical question to a real situation waithing to happen, to pursue or not pursue depends on the individual, was he remorseful after?, was the nurse injured??, is a situation that can only be dealt by the injured nurse.