Do we have to tolerate verbal abuse

[asturnage1]

An employee is verbally abused by a rehab patient. To avoid any disciplinary actions or being reported, the employee walked out of the room, notified the supv & documented the abuse. This employee was taken off the schedule & May face potential termination although no investigation has been done on their behalf. What rights do these employees have?

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

At every medical facility I've worked, the factual situation depicted in your post would've been handled differently... always starting with an investigation.

Employee "rights" are typically found in the facility's HR policies & procedures.

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

I can imagine this scenario in a few different ways.

1. Call light is on. Nurse enters room. Patient complains that she's been waiting for someone to come for ten minutes and help her get to the bathroom. Nurse doesn't say a word, but rolls her eyes and looks bored. Patient becomes even more upset and starts yelling. Nurse walks out leaving the patient with no assistance and tells the supervisor, "She can have a new nurse. I am NOT putting up with that." DON receives a call from the angry patient. It's not the first time someone has called to complain about this nurse and the other complainers have similar stories.

2. Patient requests a pitcher of water. Nurse responds that she will be right in and immediately heads that way. Patient receives the pitcher and throws it on the floor while screaming, "I hate ice! I'm going to kill you!" Four letter words start ringing through the halls. The patient had a similar outburst earlier that day when she fired her doctor for "poisoning" her. The patient calls the DON and complains. The DON is very familiar with this patient, because the patient calls to complain about every nurse assigned to him. The nurse he's complaining about has worked there for seven years and never received one complaint- until now.

It's hard to say if the suspension is just without knowing all the details. The nurse manager may also have information that isn't common knowledge.

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

... It's hard to say if the suspension is just without knowing all the details...

Precisely why an investigation is always required.