Combative/Violent patients - NO MORE OF THIS!!!

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Specializes in Telemetry, Med-Surg, ED, Psych.

The unit now has more combative/violent patients....on a telemetry medical surgical floor

Patients are ruder, and some have become physically violent - Thats were I draw the line. I call security (ex-cops) and they handle the situation. I call the doctor and tell them to order restraints.

If a patient is combative, they get restraints and haldol. No more of this "patients best interest" crap - I am sorry its very nursing school-ish - meaning its very naive and unrealistic to the realities of modern healthcare. IMHO, If a patient gets combative they will face the consequences I impose.

NO Television

NO Phone

NO Visitors

Does this make me the "bad guy" - perhaps, but some people in this world need a reality check. There come a point in time when as a medical professional you realize that the fluffy duffy wholestic model does not work all the time.

There combative patients are not the elderly or confused. They are of sound mind and body and are choosing to act out this way.

THAT IS ASSAULT.

Its time for all of us to take a stand and impose consequences for this kind of behavior. If i get a write up then so be it....But on the plus side my manager and nursing supervisos fully support me and the other staff on this important issue.

Nurses are not punching bags....If anyone ever lays a finger on me or causes me trauma/pain - they will be escorted out and placed under arrest.

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Why would it make you a bad guy??? You are there to do your job, not to be assaulted.

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Specializes in NICU Transport/NICU.

Awesome!

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Actually it's battery, but that's just semantics.

;)

If you're well enough to be demanding and violent, you're well enough to be escorted off the premises, imo.

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Specializes in FNP.

I don't know that limiting their tv and phone is going to be at all helpful, but I am fully on board with calling security and/or the police and filing charges as applicable.

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Specializes in Hospice.

You sound like you have issues, i deal with very combative pts somewhat regularly and none of them have ever been of sound mind at the time. (either brain mets, hallucinations from a med reaction ect.....) punishing someone for something they can't control (if that is what your implying) makes you a poor nurse and one who shouldn't have a job.

I have no problem giving haldol, and if someone is combative they get it immediately either iv or SQ, but that is all that is ever really needed. if someone is of sound mind acting that way our company will remove them from our services (and has in the past) but otherwise we work with family to get them under control. For the record i LOVE visitors for combative pts they end up being a one on one for them and keeping them calm. You may think your 'punishing' them but your really punishing your staff and yourself as well by keeping them from what is familiar to them.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

"You sound like you have issues, i deal with very combative pts somewhat regularly and none of them have ever been of sound mind at the time. (either brain mets, hallucinations from a med reaction ect.....) punishing someone for something they can't control (if that is what your implying) makes you a poor nurse and one who shouldn't have a job."

Wow. You need to re-read the original post and issue an apology and/or retract your post.

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I'm totally with you on security, the cops, the meds, and restraints. I am not however with you on taking away the tv, phone, and visitors. I don't believe you have the legal right to withhold any of these things and I would advise you not do so even if your supervisor backs you.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I agree completely with evolvingrn.I also deal with a large number of violent combative apts and punishment like no tv and no visitors is inappropriate. Punishing a patient for something they can't control is not going to help.A visit or a phone call will quite often calm an agitated patient.Usually there is an underlying reason, dementia/psych issues are the ones I deal with most often.

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Specializes in PCCN.

op- understand your point- that's why its time we get out of these settings. It will only get worse :-(

You are only doing what you can.Get out if you can.

oh, and why is it ok all of a sudden to put these pts on gen medical floors now. where I am we have this now too. If I wanted to be a psych nurse, I would go work in that area.

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Specializes in LTC.
NO Television

NO Phone

NO Visitors

Putting grandma in "time out" is mistreatment. they are not children. :nurse:

let the law punish them. you don't need to be involved with a violent patient, it's your right.

That sure is scary what you must have dealt with- being physically ill does not give someone of sound mind the right to lay a finger on you! apparently they think they can do whatever they want to people in the hospital and get away with it because they are the patient.

Remember everyone: even bad guys get sick!

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Specializes in PCCN.
There combative patients are not the elderly or confused. They are of sound mind and body and are choosing to act out this way.

.

Guess some of you guys are not reading this right- as quoted above. These are the crack heads, etoh'ers, general jerks, etcs. I believe the op is referring to. NOT the elderly dementia and confused.

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