Need true stories for article

seasonedlpn · Aug 13, 2003

Lady, you have opened a can of worms that you may never see the end of!

"Life: A sexually transmitted, terminal, condition."

hdhnurse · Aug 13, 2003

What exactly do you mean? I am well aware of the abuse nurses have to put up with everyday. But why do we have to tolerate it? Don't we have rights too? The big issue today is patient rights but what about nurse's rights? When a nurse is being abused or disrespected in any way it affects the way she does her job and the way she takes care of her patients. I know that I personally have a hard time with the rest of my day after I been pummeled around by a combative patient or talked to like a stupid dog by a family member. This has got to stop. Maybe the can of worms needs to opened up and dealt with once and for all. Any thoughts about what we can do to stop this?

Thanks for your input. :)

hdhnurse

Mister Chris, MSN, NP · Aug 19, 2003

Hello. I think what you may be after is the real blow by blow account of abuse of nurses by patients! This is in itself a bit of a tall order as "after the event" I have found that I am in the position that I must not discuss the details outside the Hospital where the abuse took place. However ther have been many cases of abuse towards nurses that I have experienced. They have included bruises, cuts, and damage to personal property, ie car. Nearly all of the 'abuse' has been within the boundary of the hospital property. I had my vehicle immobilized by a patient slashing the tyres - all of them. Just before my Hospital Final Exam. I did pass! Just. email me for personal details of some other "events".

Do not let the thought of receiving any physical or verbal abuse dissuade you from persuing your nursing carreer, it still is worth it and most of the abuse you will recieve will be from people that desperately need your help.

Good luck.

gwenith, BSN, RN · Aug 19, 2003

Have you tried doing a search of this site there are so many stories already told. Also try nurseadvocate.org as they are a web site devoted to stopping bullying in nursing.

bellehill, RN · Sep 10, 2003

Absolutley search old posts, this is a topic that is brought up very frequently. Good Luck!

Hardknox · Sep 10, 2003

Will you be paid for this article and if so, do you plan to pay us for our time and imput???

hdhnurse · Sep 18, 2003

Thank you all for your responses. I have been on the nurse advocate site before but checking it lately I have found that is is no longer active. That is a shame. It was a good site with a lot of helpful info. I am going to query mags for this article I am writing to see if any are interested. I have included my own tales of abuse but I need input from other nurses also so it doesn't look like this something that only happens to me. As for payment for participation, I don't even know if I am going to get paid yet, so I cannot offer payment for participation. I will change names and not mention specific workplaces if asked to do so. Thanks again for your input. My hope is to bring the issue of nurse abuse to the public's attention. I think the majority of people have no idea what we do and what we are exposed each day. As nurses, we need to be empowered to protect ourselves and to have the same rights as everyone else.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Sep 18, 2003

There is a problem with patient confidentiality whenever the incident involves a patient.

(This issue is perpetually held over nurses' heads whenever the issue is publicised)

hdhnurse · Sep 18, 2003

I am in no way going to publish a patient's name or detailed info about the patient involved. I will not name the specific workplace the incident takes place in. It is going to be general info (ex. Mary RN states that in the last six months she has been spit upon, punched and threatened by a drug seeker with a knife. She works in a busy ED in a rural hospital in southern Ohio.) How is this general info compromising patient confidentiality?

redshiloh · Sep 18, 2003

We have a chief of a service who is a bully. The type of abuse is verbal. We never know what is going to set him off...the only exception is when the moon is full you can bank on bad behavior. Upper management is well aware of the situation, but does nothing. He freely screams at personell and patients alike. I am not the type who has the huevos to confront him, I CAME out of an abusive marriage. We all take his abuse and excuse him 'well that's just the way he is' In many ways, his relationship with the staff is like that of a domestic abuse situation...I mean, how helpless we feel.

I would like some REAL help. Not just that old "well you should be more assertive".

please-help · Oct 3, 2003

I'm not accussing anyone on this site at all so please don't think I am attacking everyone here. I have recently received my grandfathers death certificate and unfortunatley he died a few months before I was born so I never had chance to know him. I was so upset when I read the certificate and I called my father and he was so young his self when His father died that he barley knew him. Well, he has actual medical records of what took place at this time which was back in 1970. My grandfather died from "malnutrition" "Dehydration" "Shock due to Hypovolemia" and also had Multiple Decubitus Ulcers. Now that sounds like abuse to a patient. I can't find where he is buried. It is not stated anywhere on his Death Certificate or Medical Records. Any help or advice would be greatful, I would love to have a Proper burial for him. I know what hospital he was at and I know that he went in for help. If anyone has advice, you can e-mail me personally at [email protected] . Thanks. I hope I didn't offend anyone here. I know there are alot of very good nurses who usually do the Dr.s job but in those days, It was easier to lock you up and walk away. Thanks to all. J.S's granddaughter.