Abuse

[4RealStudent]

How often are you verbally, physically, or mentally abused as a nurse in a day? Week? or year?

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

Never. I work OR and do pre-op, circulate during surgery, and am also the RR nurse in a private elective surgery center. Patients are always nice and respectful.

I've worked endo for six years as well, also no bad behavior at all from patients or family.

I worked ICU for a decade, and was only treated poorly a handful of times, usually by patients who were really not in control of their emotions or behavior due to their conditions. I had one or two testy family members, but wouldn't go so far as to call them abusive.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Is this a homework assignment?

[Emergent, RN]

Not an issue for me, generally. I'm patient and kind to my patients and they seem to reciprocate. Of course there is the occasional tweeker or drunk, but for the most part if you explain things and bring warm blankets, people will love you.

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

You're asking a general question to a large group of nurses. In your research, which types of nursing would be more prone to each kind of abuse? Perhaps you could ask the question in those nursing forums and get a more specific answer.

[Farawyn]

How often are you verbally, physically, or mentally abused as a nurse in a day? Week? or year?

You first.

[Davey Do]

How often are you verbally, physically, or mentally abused as a nurse in a day? Week? or year?

Only PRN- Usually, I have to put a request in several weeks in advance so they can set up the...

Oh! "as a nurse".

Nevermind.

[Sour Lemon]

Verbal abuse means very little to me, so I'm not counting that. I've gotten beaten on by plenty of confused elderly woman, but I give them a pass too. I can only think of one patient who was abusive in the truest sense of the word. He was a youngish, oriented man with an extensive criminal history. He threw an object at me and was banned from future admissions. It was not the first nurse he'd behaved aggressively towards, apparently.

[Davey Do]

criminal history.

Okay- in following your line of thought, Sour Lemon, I've only been physically abused once in my career.

Now, that's not counting psychotic or demented patients.

Heck, I got scratched, hit, and punched in the nose by demented patients in one shift recently!

[sevensonnets]

Not even once in nearly 39 years.

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

Does projectile pooping in the isolette qualify as abuse?

Me: You intentionally waited until I pulled your diaper down so that you can spray 3 hrs worth of poop all over the isolette.

Baby: I'm just an innocent baby that has no bowel control.

Me: So it was pure coincidence that you had to poop the exact moment I pulled your diaper down?

Baby: I have no idea what you are talking about. Now clean my butt and clean up this mess. It stinks in here and I want to take a nap.

[TigraRN]

By who? Patients, their families, management, doctors, or maybe by our own families and friends who bring their illnesses forefront for you to diagnose?