ever feel endangered outpt PMHNP

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title pretty much says it all, for anyone in an outpatient practice, have you ever seriously felt endangered by a patient or had an issue occur where a patient threatened or did something negative towards you?

thanks for your replies!

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Specializes in allergy and asthma, urgent care.

I'm a FNP who deals with a lot of patients with psych issues. I have felt uncomfortable on several occasions, but have only been overtly threatened once, and it was about the patient demanding controlled substances. I think the issue was more the drug addiction then the underlying mental illness.

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Just keep your big "therapy" dog lying beside your chair.:D

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hahaha zenman.... too clever!!

BCgradnurse: what have you done in those types of situations? do you try to attract someone's attention who you work with or de-escalate by yourself?

i just don't want the type of situation where a patient ends up stalking me or something ..

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Specializes in allergy and asthma, urgent care.

Drug seeking and mental illness are very common in the population I work with, so my guard is always up. If I have suspicions that a patient will escalate, I have my medical assistant come in with me, and he stands right by the door, so he can get out and get help. If someone starts getting agitated, I tell them I will give them a minute alone to collect themselves. I leave the exam room and call security. To my knowledge, no one has ever been physically harmed at my clinic, but the possibilty always exists.

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