Abuse of Nurses

Nurses General Nursing

Published

So we have recently had a patient on our unit (tele unit) that has threatened to kill staff members, called them numerous obscenities and physically assaulted at least two nurses. This is an alert and oriented patient who know exactly what she is doing. We had a meeting today and discussed what the appropriate action would be (the nurses were discussing pressing assault charges). We were told that if the patient continued to assault staff they would be given the option to sign out AMA or restraints would be applied. They are basically giving this patient free reign to slug one of us each time she gets admitted (which is frequently) before restraints are discussed. We were told we can NOT press charges and everything would have to go through the hospitals attorney if we insisted on pursuing something. This seems absolutely ludicrous to me. If an A&Ox3 pt is repeatedly assaulting staff - we can't press charges, but you know, if we try to get them to do anything they don't want, it is assault charges against us. Does anyone know if this is the norm, or what would you do it a pt hit you? (Again, this is a&ox3, not a demented little person who doesn't know what they are doing)

Specializes in None.

So would it be illegal to slug a patient one good time if they repeated this obnoxious behavior?!?!?!?!:yeah:

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I would definately speak with a lawyer for clarification regarding pressing charges against a patient. It wouldn't hurt to get a professional opinion. These hospitals are crazy to think that we have no right to press charges. They don't own you or me. I have a right to work in a safe environment and these hospitals are preventing safe environments with all of their "customer service" crap.

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and these hospitals are preventing safe environments with all of their "customer service" crap.

YES! Exactly! You are a smart cookie, Michigan RN! I've been saying this for years! It's bad enough when "customer service" prevents me from giving safe care to my pts (hanging antibiotics on time? As if! I have to kiss this other guy's cousin's butt for awhile first!), let alone if it threatens my own safety as well. I wouldn't take it. Not at all. Isn't it funny how the law says it's a felony for them to assault us, yet our employers say it's okay. "Sure, no problem! You didn't get the kind of oatmeal you like on your breakfast tray? Take a swing at a nurse! That'll make you feel better. And don't worry, we won't let them do anything about it!" Nice. Very nice. Don't let them take away your rights, and I agree 100% - an anonymous tip to the newspaper/local news station could go a long way! Good luck, and remember, it's NOT okay for ANYONE to physically or verbally assault you!

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YOUR EMPLOYER IS FULL OF CRAP. You can absolutely press assault charges and it can be done with one phone call to the police. If the hospital isn't going to protect you then all of you better learn to protect yourselves in a jiffy. They lift one more finger my way and they would be in handcuffs.

Hospital is also setting themselves up for a nice lawsuit. It's their JOB to protect their employees. What a bunch of bull. If you need help call the police before one of you gets seriously injured or killed.

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A few thoughts:

where is the doctor in all of this? Can he talk to the patient?

Has she had a Psych consult?

Has a Social Worker and/or Psychologist been on the case?

What about her family? Are any of them normal?

Maybe she has brain attrition, that is, is her brain shrinking? Maybe she has a brain infection - tertiary syphilis? Get an Infectious Disease Consult.

when all is said and done, your hospital can't force you to not press charges. Notify the police and make sure the information gets to the Prosecuting Attorney in your jurisdiction. And don't tell your boss you're calling the cops, either. Just call them.

Try to have a witness at all times you go near this woman.

Has anyone ever approached her and tried to have a heart to heart chat with her? Just leveled with her and said that we are all afraid of you, you have threatened to harm us, we just can't take good care of you when you are so angry and ungrateful, etc. to us. We want to go home healthy, asked her why she is like this, etc.? She might be mentally ill and need medication. Maybe her cardiac or other meds are making her this way or her chemistries are out of whack. Or she's a werewolf and the lunar phases are affecting her adversely. She's not a vampire is she? If so, time for sunlight, the cross, and whatever else is done against vampires. Maybe she has just an awful home life, maybe she's terminally ill, maybe none of it is an excuse to behave as she does but it would help to understand why she is the way she is and maybe that would open up some avenues to help her stop being that way. Maybe she needs a priest or a rabbi or other religious counselor.

See a lawyer re: mental stress/ emotional stress.

don't try to educate your job. They are not educable. They already are perfectly aware of your rights, they are lying to you, bullying you, and don't care the fart of a flea about you - and that's not a whole lot now, is it? You owe them nothing except perhaps advance (about a day's worth?) written notice that you will no longer accept her as your patient. They don't like it? They can send you home or float you but you can't have everything. Get this clarified in advance with a lawyer. Prepare mentally. Maybe no one will retaliate but you have every right - and responsibility - to remove yourself from a nurse-patient that is not therapeutic for the patient because she makes you fear for your safety and for your very life. Practice saying this in the mirror so you feel the conviction before telling your boss verbally and in writing - and have a copy placed in your personnel file and keep a copy for yourself.

Girl, best you put your foot down, draw that line in the sand. But do it quietly. Don't argue, don't discuss, don't ask permission. Just refuse to take care of her any more and pursue the other avenues mentioned above.

She sounds like a time bomb waiting to go off. She might be a psychopath or she might be just a scared kid inside. don't trust her, though, no matter what. She has already shown what she is like inside.

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I was charge in my LTC when 3 CNA's came to me reporting an assault by a known combative, A&Ox3 resident. I called my DON and administrator, which were both unavailable, then police upon CNA request. Police responded, resident was made aware of consequences if CNA wanted to press charges, and resident checked out AMA the next day.

Admin was furious, but I firmly held my stance that CNA was within her rights, and the powers that be were unavailable, after several calls and voicemails left. They eventually got over it.

We have the right to press charges at work just as if we were at home, or on the street. Don't EVER take an assault from a resident and let it go, because Admin will NOT help staff, they're all about pt satisfaction!

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I was charge in my LTC when 3 CNA's came to me reporting an assault by a known combative, A&Ox3 resident. I called my DON and administrator, which were both unavailable, then police upon CNA request. Police responded, resident was made aware of consequences if CNA wanted to press charges, and resident checked out AMA the next day.

Admin was furious, but I firmly held my stance that CNA was within her rights, and the powers that be were unavailable, after several calls and voicemails left. They eventually got over it.

We have the right to press charges at work just as if we were at home, or on the street. Don't EVER take an assault from a resident and let it go, because Admin will NOT help staff, they're all about pt satisfaction!

Bravo!! Nice to see someone do what's right.

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Specializes in Operating Room Nursing.

I've chatted at work about whether or not you'd call the police if someone who did not have dementia assaulted you for ANY reason. I just can't believe that most people at my work would just let the hospital deal with it. Why on earth do nurses believe it's acceptable to be bashed at work and not have the right to call the police? If I worked in a shop and a customer hit me, I wouldn't expect the shop manager to deal with it so what's the difference? If it happened to me I wouldn't even discuss it with my management I'd call the police immediately because it's my right to do so. And if management told me off then I would be contacting my union and a lawyer.

And by not getting the police involved would make the patient think it's okay to bash a nurse, i'll get away with it.

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I've chatted at work about whether or not you'd call the police if someone who did not have dementia assaulted you for ANY reason. I just can't believe that most people at my work would just let the hospital deal with it. Why on earth do nurses believe it's acceptable to be bashed at work and not have the right to call the police? If I worked in a shop and a customer hit me, I wouldn't expect the shop manager to deal with it so what's the difference? If it happened to me I wouldn't even discuss it with my management I'd call the police immediately because it's my right to do so. And if management told me off then I would be contacting my union and a lawyer.

And by not getting the police involved would make the patient think it's okay to bash a nurse, i'll get away with it.

Its called the nurses who have the b@!!$ to call the police and take action against abuse, are "filtered" out of nursing when they quit in disgust. In other words, the nurses who are left in nursing are the "martyr mary" nurses who are afraid to take a stand. And nursing school perpetuates this mentality. Nurses are never told what to do in cases where they have to stand up for themselve. Too many nurses truly believe that they essentially have no rights in the workplace. They have never learned the skills that are needed to survive in the workplace.

Nursing school Diploma and ADN programs are too short to add classes on Emplolyment Law, Administrative Law, etc. These are "quality of life" classes that would go along way to providing nurses with the tools to stand up for themseves, and know the law enough to prevent the workplace abuses that exist.

One of these days I am going to put together a line of seminars that deal swith these issues. Or write a book on these subjects. I think that there is a big need for this kind of education is sorely needed in nursing.

Lindarn, RN ,BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
remind your facility about the latest sentinel event alert regarding bullying behaviors. although the newest regs are aimed at facilities controlling these behaviors perpetrated by employees and docs, it would take very little to get these regs moved on over to include patients/visitors to the facility. the regs specifically insist on zero tolerance of physical abuse and criminal acts. nothing like a little leverage with the joint commission and/or a journalist in your area to get your facility on the right track.

it's been my experience that an employee is far more likely to be assaulted by a patient or visitor than by a physician or other employee. so why aren't these regulations specifically including alert, oriented patients and visitors already?

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Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.
try to have a witness at all times you go near this woman.

this is very important. when i was a senior in nursing school, an alert and oriented patient smacked my arm. i ran out and told my clinical instructor.

the first words out of her mouth, "did anyone see this happen?"

~jess

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Specializes in LTC/SNF, Psychiatric, Pharmaceutical.
it's been my experience that an employee is far more likely to be assaulted by a patient or visitor than by a physician or other employee. so why aren't these regulations specifically including alert, oriented patients and visitors already?

because some assaultive patients can hide behind health conditions as an excuse, so their lawyers can claim they were not responsible for their actions. because the hospitals care more about keeping patients happy and offering "5-star service" than about the welfare of their staff, and a staff who makes too much noise about what is an "expected" part of nursing (doesn't assault and battery come with our job description? yeah, whatever) could tarnish the hospital's precious image.

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