Ever have one of your patients threaten to sue? Scared!

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One of my patients threatened to sue the hospital. Now I'm scared to death. Worried about everything I did the day I had him. I'm a fairly new nurse. Thinking of getting out of the hospital business all together.

By the way, I'm a med/surg nurse.

I feel like a peach pit is stuck in my stomach. Don't know if I have the fortitude to be a hospital nurse. :chair: nurscee

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Just curious, what happened?..without giving names or too many details of course.

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Specializes in ICU.

Sorry you have to go through this. Unfortunately there will be other patients that threaten to sue the hospital. I haven't been directly involved in something like this, but just make sure your charting is accurate. That's very important. If you called the doctor to assess or notify of him/her of something then chart it! That's what I've learned.

If you have any concerns talk with your manager . Take a deep breath and don't let this make you feel like you can't hack hospital nursing. It's natural to feel scared especially when you are new and unsure of yourself.

I don't know the details here, but I hope everything works out!

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Specializes in ER, NICU, NSY and some other stuff.

There are many individuals out there who are looking to win the lottery via whatever health system they encounter.

If you document clearly and stay within the standards of care and your facility's policies then you are fine. Just because someone threatens to sue does not mean they will, and even if they try to sue does not mean they will win.

Hang in there.

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Rule number one with any threatened lawsuit:

No need to worry about it until the lawsuit is actually filed.

People threaten to sue all the time. Very few actually file.

:typing

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, educator.

If I had $5 for every family member that has muttered those words...I'm getting/talking to my lawyer...I'd be rich and retired.

Unless you know something is really, really wrong don't fret it unless you hear from risk management. In health care, you will hear this more times than you ever thought you would.

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Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

It is very scary...but sadly very common, and I will agree that most do not sue, just fly at the mouth!

Just do your best at all times...then you are safe!

Oh and this little gem..in fact, my charge nurse overheard me teaching some 1 and 2nd year nursing students this yesterday and hugged me big time! So listen up...

DOCUMENT well...so that you know in SEVEN years what you did and be able to recall it by your own hand!!! There is a trend to sue hospitals and staff after 7 years when that patient and history is forgotten and records are so deep in cobwebs they can't be found in tact (if you are a lawyer that depends on a paycheck for this...it makes sence...horrid but ya know)! Scary yes, but documentation if done right...lasts beyond!!!!!!

Sadly my dear you will hear this again from patients...it is typically a control mech or taught to folks as an intimidation factor to gain results when they feel powerless...see it as just that..and try to help them overcome those fears and mechs...I guess that is why we take psych huh??? LOL

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Specializes in PCU, Critical Care, Observation.

I had a patient the other morning threatening to sue because he somehow thought mentioning that he had an attorney would change the way we were taking care of him. Don't let the threats get to you. It won't be the last time you hear those words spoken.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Ya'll check out this lengthy thread, too:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f87/im-going-sue-you-what-do-you-say-136046.html?highlight=Threats

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I'm glad to hear they usually threaten but don't follow through.

I haven't been able to sleep at night. I feel sick.

This is a new hospital, so I guess I'm afraid I will be used as an example and be fired.

I think if I was ever fired I would just die of humiliation.

I wish I could go back and rewrite my documentation.

I felt hesitant about documenting that "the dr. told me to do so and so..." because I thought that would incriminate the hospital of wrong doing.

Plus, I really really really like this doc. She rocks!

The man was a baboon.

He was loud and obnoxious. Yelling all over the hospital. I guess that is what scares me. I think he will follow through because he seemed so mean.

But hopefully, it will be a major learning experience, and that is all.

Maybe this will toughen my very fragile baby, nurse skin.

Nurscee

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Write up an incident report of what the patient said, just the facts so your risk management department is aware of it. A lot of patients talk out of anger, and a lot of patients do indeed sue. Most don't have a case. Try to relax, although it is nervewracking.

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Carry your own , do your job to the best of your ability.

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