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.
I'm a new grad.. and I can honestly say there are patients who can be real pricks.. excuse my language but its pretty true.. Subacute, alert/oriented.. Nurses take a lot of crap but I kind of see this as part of the job.. There are patients I would recommend approaching with caution.. I've trained in brazilian Jiu jitsu for 4 years and I know how to box so (I instinctively keep my hands up but not in a closed fist, just near my face) when I approach these types of patients..
If you aren't into these things, you'd have to pull out and I respect that.. However, as a first job until I can upgrade to Rn, I have to suck it up and deal with these things.. And honestly, when patients give you attitude, don't hit back..
Sarchasm is a nurse's best friend. .I take crap from people but I have never snapped at a patient before (knock on wood) however I have engaged in passive-aggressive behavior and given sarchasm (when I roll my eyes and make an insincere apology it's painfully obvious and unsubtle).. It's better than straight up snapping though
As a nurse I can tell you.. Life is messed up, you just gotta laugh about it..
Tha's pretty freaking rude for a student to say. Wait til you get punched in the head by one of those patients( or your face sctratched open) and maybe you will sing a different tune.
Wait till you read their response on the enema thread.
Thank you for being one of the FEW you clearly read my WHOLE post.
We have drug addicts, jerks, and DT patients on the unit who are combative - so maybe there not in there right mind but they have more common sense and cognitive functioning than an alzheimers patient.
Our new revised unit protocal is that if a patient is physically combative or violent, we call a code grey (backup) and the person is restrained.
It may sound like a joke or an over reaction, but once youve been hit, punch, scratched, spit on (by an HIV+ patient, mind you), slammed into a wall, bitten, hair was pulled, backhanded, kicked - then feel free to whine about being dramatic.
I agree.
In no other job that I can think of is any other employee just told to "suck it up" when it comes to both verbal and physical abuse.
I know in my specialty, we are the second most likely to be physically attacked. We're second only to police officers.
Fribblet
839 Posts
I'm really frightened that some of these posters are considered "critical thinkers."