Breaking a contract?

Kind of rambling...bare with me...

It's sort of a non issue for me at this point, since my contract is up as of today. But Monday night, with 2 shifts left, I was punched twice by a patient, and then he threw his walker at me - all because I wouldn't let him and his broken hip walk to the bathroom. This guy was completely alert and oriented, just an *******. (This man also happens to be a VERY wealthy VIP, and the supervisor and CEOs have been bending over backwards for him, making no secret to the staff that they are hoping for a monetary donation after this admission.) I told the nursing supervisor what had happened (I had staff witnesses, too), and her response was "You need to find a better way to deal with him, and under no circumstances are you to restrain or sedate him". I told her I wasn't comfortable taking care of him and requested a new assignment, she told me that I couldn't refuse a pt. As much as I hated to play this card, I told her that I had 2 days left, and that if my safety wasn't a concern, that I would leave. To which she informed me that I would be breaking legal contract and there would be reprecussions...end of story, I stayed, but traded assignments with a male nurse.

I've been in nursing for 8 years, a traveler for 6 months. I have never before refused to take care of a pt, but I've also never been assaulted by a pt before. I could absolutely understand if they wanted to come after me if I walked out on a contract because there was just a personality conflict, but hello, I was HIT, and then basically told tough ****, deal with it. If anything, wouldn't you think they should be worried that I'd press charges for failing to provide me with a safe work environment?

What happens if you break a contract? Will they really take you to court, or would you just have to pay a fee? Does it put a black mark on your record, or it just between you, the hospital, and the company?

BTW, I completed my shift Monday night, and completed my last shift last night. I honored my part of the contract. The CEO? Got a phone call from the nursing supervisor Monday night about my incident, and brought that pt Starbucks coffee Tuesday morning. Jackass.