Beat up by a resident, what to do??

[BoopetteRN]

I have worked in long term care my entire life and have been beat more times than I can remember, the worst time however was with a cane last Sept. Since the regulations for physical and chemical restraints have been in place, the incidents of resident/staff abuse have greatly increased. Families also have a hard time accepting the fact that their loved one can do these things and unfortunately most of the time, feel the staff caused the resident to become aggressive. Finding the right med to help with the behavior sometimes becomes hit and miss, and when the right med and dosage is found, as soon as the behaviors are under control, med reduction begin, and, behaviors return, so the meds go back up. It becomes a constant game. Regs say the lowest dose that works, but our facility continues to reduce and reduce and reduce. This is what makes our job so difficult and makes LTC a hard to work in.

:rotfl: It does get better, just hang in there.

[missmercy]

I'll tell you what! I would be out of that place in a heart beat if they are not going to do anything to protect you and their other residents! That guy sounds like a time bomb -- lawsuits just waiting to happen!

I have worked LTC and know what you mean about getting swatted, bit, pinched etc. rather routinely -- this is not even close to the same deal! Your management needs to get its collective act together and support their staff!! Getting physically assaulted so intensely is NOT just part of the job!!

You need to get ahold of the BON in your area! Is your facility unionized? If so -- call your union rep!!!! If not, see if the BON will assist. Your facility hasn't got written policies r/t abuse from patients does it? This is an illustration of a situation where nursing would definately benefit from the "self-defense education" that Dan has mentioned in another post!!

I cant believe that they will not let you recuse yourself from working with that guy -- I bet they are afraid that anyone who knows what he did will not want to care for him -- and if they allow staff to choose not to care for him -- they may run out of people who are willing to chance getting beat up! HMMMM!

[tmiller027]

in my facility, they're pretty good about handling residents with these kinds of problems. We've never had anyone THAT violent, but we've had a few were were mildly violent or disruptive and they have had them removed from the facility. The good thing is I work in a small, clean nursing home so they have a waiting list of people wanting in.

Hopefully you can find one like this in your area.

[kathy_79]

purple contact State stat. this is not harmless thing and from reading your post i believe it will happen again. it will be you or other hurt without your fault. it is not right. i think your facility cover it because they get some money (not small) so they do not want to lose him as pt, but the other hand, what the hell is that where NH does not take care about their employees. i am so mad the position which nurse and others took toward what happened to you and other your coworkers. i would definitely contact State in this situation because your health and safety is very important too. besides, noone desire to be treated without respect and dignity. you give it to your pts and you have human right to require the same from your pts and coworkers. and one thing, there is no team work at your NH, it is so sad that you cannot relay on anyone.

i hope you make a report. you need to get report from your doctor so you have proof of abuse. i think your pt knows what he is doing, even if he has dementia. he is able to make some judgment. your last words show it up (your conversation with him).

let us know how it goes.

keep up your faith. :)

[James Huffman]

Men and women, repeat after me:

If I am hit, I will call the police.

If I am hit, I will press charges.

The reason people keep hitting is because they can get away with it. If you call the police, and if you press charges, the facility will do something about it, if nothing else than to avoid bad publicity.

Those who get hit over and over are what we might charitably call slow learners.

Hit me once, shame on you. Hit me twice, shame on me.

Call the police, folks. Whenever it happens.

Jim Huffman, RN

[azgirl]

Any time a patient/resident hit or injured someone the injured person had to go for a drug screen. Also attend the next safety meeting. Automatically the CNA or nurse was considered to be at fault.

Many of the nurses would be busy with the med cart and get bit by a dangerous patient. The NM said that no one should ever get close enough to a patient to get hurt. I got in trouble for asking how patient care was to be done if you are not close to a patient.

I saw a broken arm and a testicle injury that resulted in its being removed, as well as the constant bruises, scrapes, and scratches that everyone got.

Our residents would get visitors too and we were always responsible for their injury even though no staff member would even be close when the visitor came in.

Lovely field we work in isn't it? LOL

[barefootlady, ADN, RN]

Responsible for a injury to a visitor when no staff is present? How could that be?

Agree with other posters, call the police and press charges. But go to ER first, file a I & A report and keep your copy. See your personal physician and do not return to work until all pain is gone. How could you work with an arm in a sling?

Contact all proper state officials and file a report. Keep your papers in a locked box that only you have access to so HIPPA will not be violated. You can keep this box in the trunk of your car .

Document every incident, those with his family as well. Document family telling you and other staff that he has "bad temper", does not follow instructions, and etc.

LOOK FOR ANOTHER JOB!

[Rapheal]

Sorry this happened to you. I would be livid if it happened to me and I got no support from my employer. Maybe time to find an employer who cares about your safety.

[KacyLynnRN]

Yes I agree something more does need to be done to protect staff in LTC facilities. When I was a CNA, I worked in a nursing home and once got kicked very hard in the stomach by a violent alzhemiers patient. THANK GOD I wasn't pregnant at the time!! He remained there, and really nothing was done about it. I ended up leaving. I understand that we have to take care of everyone no matter what, and not judge but it is hard to go back to work and work with a patient you are terrified of. It shouldn't be happening. I would definitely keep records of EVERYTHING concerning this incident...what happened, medical bills and records, anything...because who knows how long your arm may be injured?? Also I would call your BON and find out what your rights are. The residents have rights, shouldn't nurses???

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Wow! Im not sure what the right answer is to this one. HIPAA probably prohibits the nurses from sharing his complete med hx with you. This man is definatly a threat to others. We have had a few residents like this.. they are 90lbs wet, but as strong and dangerous as an ox. Only after beating up a few nurses and CNAs and eventually a social worker was he 302'd. Yes these people have dementia and for the most part don't know what they are doing, but hurting you and the other CNA like that is no excuse. Our CNAs aren't really aloud to refuse to care for residents, but in cases like this...it is definatly acceptable! Call the state or even aske the police.....Look at his care plan...(I know you probably don't have access to it) and see what is care planned for aggressive behavior. (The inspectors are very intersted in care plans). Does your facility have a behavior management program? They should. Drugs probably aren't the answer for this man!

BTW...why not get a lamp for the other man..might help?

HIPAA wouldn't prevent the nurses from sharing info with the CNA's...they are certainly in the NEED TO KNOW category. HIPAA doesn't mean you can't tell people who are involved in someone's care what they need to know.

[Jailhouse RN]

You have thright to defend yourself. If that means hitting the pt. so be it. I have had to use physical force to actually help a couple of inmates. No patient or inmate has the right to touch any staff person. Time to get skip training which is suppoesedly a non-violent way of taking down violent patients. This is and was taught in all of the NYS psychiatric institutions. How ever you must realize that there may again come a time when you just might have to take an offensive action which means use physical force to actually help your patient to not hurt you or others. Remember, you have rights also.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

You have thright to defend yourself. If that means hitting the pt. so be it. I have had to use physical force to actually help a couple of inmates. No patient or inmate has the right to touch any staff person. Time to get skip training which is suppoesedly a non-violent way of taking down violent patients. This is and was taught in all of the NYS psychiatric institutions. How ever you must realize that there may again come a time when you just might have to take an offensive action which means use physical force to actually help your patient to not hurt you or others. Remember, you have rights also.

You might be able to hit back in a jail, but if you do that in LTC, YOU"LL be the one arrested and probably lose your license.