I've been a nurse in the SICU for a lil more than a year now. yesterday, while I was helping another nurse with her pt who was agitated and going through alcohol withdrawal. The pt spit (or more like splashed) the medication and water that he was holding in his mouth, all over my face, on purpose. His spit got in my eyes & mouth. I went to occupational health to get baseline labs taken, just in case.
As nurses, we are suppose to keep our pts away from harm, keep them from harming themselves, but who is suppose to keep them from harming us.
This incident just made me really depressed about nursing. I try my best to take the best care of my pts...I put their needs in front of my own. I love bedside nursing...but honestly I have no idea how long i can deal with things like this.
If a nurse is truly injured by a patient, you can press charges. Happens all the time at my work, especially if one can show it was done with malicious intent, i.e. the time a nurse got punched in the face and ended up with two black eyes. However, the OP got saliva splashed in her face. Who would try to pursue that? It's just absurd, and given the scenario, the patient can hardly be liable for his actions. Nurses need to develop a thicker skin - it wasn't a personal attack. Can you take it personally every time a patient calls you mean names, too?
It was done on purpose. It was a personal attack. The OP is not only emotionally broken but now he/she is worried about his or her health as well. I'm not sure why you think that person isn't liable for his actions. You can try to rationalize abuse anyway you want. What that man did was disgusting and wrong. So its only okay to press charges when a nurse is severely injured, paralyzed or disabled? The OP should not be told to develop a "thicker skin". What she should be told is to start advocating for his or her rights.
So why is physically assaulting a correctional officer in lets say corrections or jail a felony....but attacking the nurse in the same environment apart of the job?
So why is physically assaulting a correctional officer in lets say corrections or jail a felony....but attacking the nurse in the same environment apart of the job?
Physical assault is physical assault. You CAN press charges on your patient. However, if no damage was done (as in this situation), what kind of repercussions do you want for this patient? The man is going through alcohol withdrawal, look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_withdrawal_syndrome for the big, ugly list of symptoms.
I personally wrote my hospital's occupational exposure policy - unless this guy spit blood in her mouth, she's fine. Saliva is not a biohazardous substance - gross, yes, lethal, hardly. And what are you doing leaning over a patient with your mouth open?
Police officers have a fundamentally different role than nurses. They are apprehending a criminal. We are treating a patient. And a misbehaving patient does not a criminal make. We are supposed to understand that illness causes people to act in a lot of uncharacteristic ways. How many women in labor physically and verbally "assault" their nurses and doctors? Almost all of them. Because pain = irrational behaviour.
I suppose I don't understand what outcome the OP wants. Does she want the guy to be dismissed from the hospital? Does she want him to be restrained and/or make him suffer? Does she want him to go to jail? Does she want an apology? I think most of us would really like an apology for s*** like that - and sometimes we're lucky enough to get one. Honestly, her patient probably won't even remember spitting at her.
Physical assault is physical assault. You CAN press charges on your patient. However, if no damage was done (as in this situation), what kind of repercussions do you want for this patient? The man is going through alcohol withdrawal, look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_withdrawal_syndrome for the big, ugly list of symptoms.
I personally wrote my hospital's occupational exposure policy - unless this guy spit blood in her mouth, she's fine. Saliva is not a biohazardous substance - gross, yes, lethal, hardly. And what are you doing leaning over a patient with your mouth open?
Police officers have a fundamentally different role than nurses. They are apprehending a criminal. We are treating a patient. And a misbehaving patient does not a criminal make. We are supposed to understand that illness causes people to act in a lot of uncharacteristic ways. How many women in labor physically and verbally "assault" their nurses and doctors? Almost all of them. Because pain = irrational behaviour.
I suppose I don't understand what outcome the OP wants. Does she want the guy to be dismissed from the hospital? Does she want him to be restrained and/or make him suffer? Does she want him to go to jail? Does she want an apology? I think most of us would really like an apology for s*** like that - and sometimes we're lucky enough to get one. Honestly, her patient probably won't even remember spitting at her.
Damage WAS done to her. Emotional damage as well as possible damage to her health.Your still rationalizing abuse. Re-read your post and understand how your responding. Its actually quite sad. I really do think your speaking from a abused persons perspective. Its just NOT normal to accept abuse in any job. You really need to talk to someone...like a therapist. What your saying isn't normal. And whats really sad is, you can't even see it. Even the pope has security and you better believe if someone tried to hurt him they would be jailed in a second! I know mother theresa had security!
If you accept horrible treatment thats your decision but don't try to go and make others feel they should also.
If a nurse is truly injured by a patient, you can press charges. Happens all the time at my work, especially if one can show it was done with malicious intent, i.e. the time a nurse got punched in the face and ended up with two black eyes. However, the OP got saliva splashed in her face. Who would try to pursue that? It's just absurd, and given the scenario, the patient can hardly be liable for his actions. Nurses need to develop a thicker skin - it wasn't a personal attack. Can you take it personally every time a patient calls you mean names, too?
Yeah, you can press charges . . . .what a crock!! One of our nurses was kicked by the exact same type of patient, EtOH withdrawal, knocked to the ground and is still not back to work . . . brachial plexus injury to her shoulder and back injury!! There were at least 8 witnesses . . . security was called, incident report, etc, etc . . . bottom line . . . you cannot press charges because the patient was not of sound mind . . . he was under the influence of EtOH and ativan. So, the patient skates and our nurse may be out a job.
Funny thing is . . . outside of the hospital . . . a drunk hits an officer or a bystander . . . that drunk can be charged with assault . . .
Yeah, you can press charges . . . .what a crock!! One of our nurses was kicked by the exact same type of patient, EtOH withdrawal, knocked to the ground and is still not back to work . . . brachial plexus injury to her shoulder and back injury!! There were at least 8 witnesses . . . security was called, incident report, etc, etc . . . bottom line . . . you cannot press charges because the patient was not of sound mind . . . he was under the influence of EtOH and ativan. So, the patient skates and our nurse may be out a job.
Funny thing is . . . outside of the hospital . . . a drunk hits an officer or a bystander . . . that drunk can be charged with assault . . .
On the job injuries are unfortunate. My mum's a GI nurse - she was helping during a scope, and the patient began thrashing. She had to have surgery on her wrist to repair torn ligaments. One of my friends had a psychotic teenager do major damage to her wrist, also just had surgery. Both resulted in months of lost time. I've been bitten by patients, had my hair pulled out, and just generally taken a beating from my patients more times than I can count.
I understand the desire to blame someone for injuries - and sometimes it's clearcut who can be blamed. Same for patients who catch MRSA in hospital, or who have IV contrast infiltrate - it's easy to blame their nurses, and sometimes they do. And sometimes we deserve to be blamed, in my opinion, as do our patients. But where do we draw the line?
Our patients don't come to us because they're well. I was aware of the risks when I became a nurse. And because I'm a nurse, it's not up to me to determine who is or is not deserving of my nursing care - if the admitting doc thinks they need care, it's my job to give that care to the best of my ability. And it's my job to be savvy about protecting myself.
While it's a little silly to feel bad about ad hominem attacks on internet forums, I take offense. I'm not some insensitive, nurse-hating monster.
... and it's just ridiculous to insinuate nurses need the same protection as the Pope. I can just see some big brute tackling the (bedridden) patient who dares spit his meds at me!
I apologize if my post was a little personal. I have nothing against you, don't know who you are. My point was just that, even though we always hear that we can "press charges" against a patient for assault . . . many patients who assault staff are EtOH withdrawal, 5150 holds, under the influence of meds we've given, etc . . . and assault charges cannot be brought against the patient . . . so, we have to stay on our toes and watch for flying fists/feet, as you said.
If I hear "Get over it", "Pray about it", "You just need to grow a thicker skin", "Get some antidepressants, so you can tolerate being treated like a dog", or my personal favorite..."Get used to it." I may be the one doing the spitting! These asinine, disgusting , and ridiculous excuses have been shoved down our throats over the years in the attempt to finally get us to accept the assaults, insults and abuse (physically, emotionally, and verbally) that we have been shamed into enduring, is absolutely appalling. There is no excuse. None whatsoever for dehumanizing, humiliating, or terrorizing another human being. Even if he or she is a Nurse, and it absolutely infuriates the hell out of me that anyone even considers "getting used to it" to be a viable option.
If I hear "Get over it", "Pray about it", "You just need to grow a thicker skin", "Get some antidepressants, so you can tolerate being treated like a dog", or my personal favorite..."Get over it." I may be the one doing the spitting! These asinine, disgusting , and ridiculous excuses have been shoved down our throats over the years in the attempt to finally get us to accept the assaults, insults and abuse (physically, emotionally, and verbally) that we have been shamed into enduring, is absolutely appalling. There is no excuse. None whatsoever for dehumanizing, humiliating, or terrorizing another human being. Even if he or she is a Nurse, and it absolutely infuriates the hell out of me that anyone even considers "getting used to it" to be a viable option.
Wow - I couldn't have said it better! And it's our fault for tolerating in. Not me..I'm too old for that crap. A few months ago I made an official complaint about a surgeon who was VILE to me on the phone one night. He wrote me a formal letter of apology. My co workers couldn't believe it. We need to stand up for ourselves people!
Thank you all for your advise and support, which was all I was looking for by posting on this forum. I had read all of the posts and it seems that a few people feels that "this is a part of the job". I really don't feel like nursing school prepared us to be spit on, punched or kicked or else they should be teaching us some self defense...
That same pt had also attempted to kick and punch other nurses, and actually kicked a tech in his chest.
I also wanted to update you all because his blood results came back - for hep B, C and HIV. Since the transmission rate is so low, I'm sure I'll be safe.
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I personally wrote my hospital's occupational exposure policy - unless this guy spit blood in her mouth, she's fine. Saliva is not a biohazardous substance - gross, yes, lethal, hardly. And what are you doing leaning over a patient with your mouth open?
Dear aura, I don't know where you figured I was leaning over a pt with my mouth open...I was actually toward the head of the bed a couple steps away from the pt. While I was setting limits with him, he turned his head and aimed his spit at my face. This was also the first time he had spit at anyone, or else I would of been full PPE...
Lord... I think you are taking this a little too personal. Nursing is dealing with patients who are very ill, and have no idea what they are doing. Police officers are also subject to such moments. If you can't handle these kinds of moments, you might decide to work at the Urgent Care Center, but there is still no guarantee that such events will not happen. Not everyone can be a nurse.....................!
Dear Fowlaf, If i was a police officer, I would atlease be able to arrest the guy, my frustration is that I was unable to take action. What do you tell your pts when they fall? "get up and suck it up?" and for the record, I am a damn great nurse.
If I hear "Get over it", "Pray about it", "You just need to grow a thicker skin", "Get some antidepressants, so you can tolerate being treated like a dog", or my personal favorite..."Get used to it." I may be the one doing the spitting! These asinine, disgusting , and ridiculous excuses have been shoved down our throats over the years in the attempt to finally get us to accept the assaults, insults and abuse (physically, emotionally, and verbally) that we have been shamed into enduring, is absolutely appalling. There is no excuse. None whatsoever for dehumanizing, humiliating, or terrorizing another human being. Even if he or she is a Nurse, and it absolutely infuriates the hell out of me that anyone even considers "getting used to it" to be a viable option.
Unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world!!!!!
summersent
176 Posts
It was done on purpose. It was a personal attack. The OP is not only emotionally broken but now he/she is worried about his or her health as well. I'm not sure why you think that person isn't liable for his actions. You can try to rationalize abuse anyway you want. What that man did was disgusting and wrong. So its only okay to press charges when a nurse is severely injured, paralyzed or disabled? The OP should not be told to develop a "thicker skin". What she should be told is to start advocating for his or her rights.