Assaulted by patient... VENT

Specialties Emergency

Published

So last night it happened. I was assaulted by a patient. I went to our observation unit to help a nurse who has having trouble with this patient and it really just didn't go well. I went in there very calmly asked her what was wrong, tried to talk her down... you know the drill. Long story short I ended up getting punched in the face along my jaw several times, the back of my head several times, and got my left forearm clawed up pretty darn good! I let my attending know about it, cleaned out the wounds she left on my forearm, filed a police report, filed an occurrance report, and went to make sure it was documented through employee health as well. Mostly I'm just hoping my butt is covered completely in this because I just don't want to end up with my butt in a sling over this.

Thankfully now I'm on vacation for the next 12 days(WOOHOOO!!!!), but now I can't sleep.

Sorry it's short and vague, but thanks for letting me vent!!!

Specializes in ER.

Oh, I agree the tapping the lip thing was a total waste of time. Thing is I wouldn't be able to use your method as we were specifically told we were not allowed to do anything that inflicts pain on the attacker regardless of how much pain they were inflicting on you. That might result in a low Press Gainey score:banghead:

haaaa!!!!!! I'm going to look up the law right now on violence in the ER in Mass. and nurse's response.... that gets me thinking!

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Specializes in ER.

I found another link from OSHA and guidelines on workplace violence - really interesting!

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3148.pdf

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Specializes in Rescue+Medic+ER ER ER ER.

CeeKayRN:

What was the outcome of your case?

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Specializes in ED, ICU, Heme/Onc.

I would also consider a civil suit.

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Specializes in Cath Lab, OR, CPHN/SN, ER.
Most of it was garbage (tapping the upper lip of a patient who is biting you...huh?)

Tap the upper lip with my fist...

I'm sorry you had to deal with that, and I hope you got some (good) answers from the police.

I had a former coworker who filed a report on a frequent flier for threatening to harm her. She was taken to jail, and ended up getting tazed. :lol2: Same coworker ended up never caring for her again (the patient would refuse her care), and she joined the military, where if someone tried that kind of crap you call their CO and they'll straighten it out!

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Specializes in ER, ALF.

Hey Guys! Wow, I sure haven't visited this thread in a while! As far as the pt who assaulted me, I never heard a darn thing from the officers on the case, however, through friends on PD I heard she spent a few days in jail. Not enough by any means! At any rate, she is from out of state so I bet she went home... probably never to see her again.

The jaw is fine, was fine in a couple of days after the fact.

We have had an increasing number of assaults in our department and our unit manager is fed up. She met with the hospital lawyer and somebody from PD( no clue who... she told me, but it was my friday and at end of shift... thus not filed in long-term memory) a couple of weeks ago, so hopefully something comes of that!

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Specializes in Critical care, trauma, cardiac, neuro.

I am glad you came out of this alive. A neighbor/nurse did not survive her patient's attack on her.

I am so glad you filed charges. Good!

I know of a psychologist who teaches safety for nurses. Things like minimal space, body language and access to escape when speaking to an escalated patient or visitor. She includes self defense techniques (realistic ones) when you don't want to hurt the attacker, as well as self defense techniques when you do want to hurt the attacker.

Zero tolerance for violence!

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Specializes in I'm good with skin?.

VENT? I need to vent. I had the same wernicke-possibly-korsakoff alcoholic who grew increasingly combative over night and each night but never during the day so the doctors didn't believe how bad it was. While covered in blood he attempted to dig his nails into my arms while I was only blocking his path and keeping him from falling over backwards. He was sober. Each night was worse. He tried to bite my aide twice in the same night (fingernail night). I had him for 36 hours out of 72 (three days) and was probably in his room for at least 20 of those hours. Probably more, he was so up and down and unsteady I had to park a mobile computer station in his room and stay there for hours at a time. He is still on the floor.

Two weeks ago a different whacked out patient (DT alcoholic + who knows what psych dx) assaulted me and another nurse with an IV pole twice. I had to cut the line to get it away from him (couldn't get close enough to unhook it proper) and called all the shots of common sense like... remove the projectiles, get the other patient in the room OUT. There was a code strong, police involved.. and then he accused me of sexual misconduct. Apparently I forced him down on the bed and tried to rape him. He told the police this. He wasn't even my patient that day. I was helping the primary nurse because she was scared of him. He is still on the floor. Unrestrained. He was on 1:1 for a few days until staffing ran out, until he bit somebody. Now he's 1:1 again... but no restraints. No psych transfer.

I DON'T WORK IN PSYCH, OR EVEN ER. Med surg. I really don't feel like my safety should be so consistently compromised. I've been an RN since JULY. My resume is going around other facilities, this can't be normal.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

No one and I mean NO ONE will hit me and get away with it.

Fight back?

My family needs me so yeah, I will.

That person/persons will wish they were never born by the time I get done--and I'm not just talking about the physical part--I have lawyers, doctors, police in my family.

They wouldn't want to go "there."

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
VENT? I need to vent. I had the same wernicke-possibly-korsakoff alcoholic who grew increasingly combative over night and each night but never during the day so the doctors didn't believe how bad it was. While covered in blood he attempted to dig his nails into my arms while I was only blocking his path and keeping him from falling over backwards. He was sober. Each night was worse. He tried to bite my aide twice in the same night (fingernail night). I had him for 36 hours out of 72 (three days) and was probably in his room for at least 20 of those hours. Probably more, he was so up and down and unsteady I had to park a mobile computer station in his room and stay there for hours at a time. He is still on the floor.

Two weeks ago a different whacked out patient (DT alcoholic + who knows what psych dx) assaulted me and another nurse with an IV pole twice. I had to cut the line to get it away from him (couldn't get close enough to unhook it proper) and called all the shots of common sense like... remove the projectiles, get the other patient in the room OUT. There was a code strong, police involved.. and then he accused me of sexual misconduct. Apparently I forced him down on the bed and tried to rape him. He told the police this. He wasn't even my patient that day. I was helping the primary nurse because she was scared of him. He is still on the floor. Unrestrained. He was on 1:1 for a few days until staffing ran out, until he bit somebody. Now he's 1:1 again... but no restraints. No psych transfer.

I DON'T WORK IN PSYCH, OR EVEN ER. Med surg. I really don't feel like my safety should be so consistently compromised. I've been an RN since JULY. My resume is going around other facilities, this can't be normal.

No, this is NOT normal. Not where I work.

Good luck and hope you make it out alive.

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