when you feel creeped out

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Another reason I would like to be a nurse is I love to help people, I know that sounds cliché but I'm actually really good at taking care of people, I'm nurturing and kind. But I can't stand the sleazy scumbag guy. I was wondering if a patient makes you uncomfortable can you refuse care?

The guy who kept yelling "DEEPER" over and over as I was inserting his bisacodyl suppository. He often had "constipation" and I lucked out that no one had charted his BMs for several days and could not refuse on the usual basis of regular BMs and soft nontender abdomen with normoactive bowel sounds. I'm still not clean.

If he has the strength to yell, he has the strength to insert his own suppository.

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Another reason I would like to be a nurse is I love to help people, I know that sounds cliché but I'm actually really good at taking care of people, I'm nurturing and kind. But I can't stand the sleazy scumbag guy. I was wondering if a patient makes you uncomfortable can you refuse care?

So if you refuse, another nurse has to take care of the "sleazy scumbag guy"? Why do you get the pass?

If you are always being given the creepy guy, yeah, speak up. But otherwise, everyone has to take turns and will get their share of creepy guys. If the behavior crosses a line, you can get administration or security involved. Otherwise, you just have to do your job and try not to gag while you're doing it.

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If he has the strength to yell, he has the strength to insert his own suppository.

Like this?

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Like this?

[ATTACH]21846[/ATTACH]

Maybe.

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I have a Sincerely Held Belief that I should not have to take any more creepy patients than anyone else, even if someone else doesn't want them either!

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If he has the strength to yell, he has the strength to insert his own suppository.

You said "No, you cannot refuse care because you can't stand the guy." But you're allowed to refuse to administer a medication when the parameters for administration (according to available documentation) were clearly met?

1. That was four years ago and I'm not the same person I was four years ago. I could say "I'd handle it differently now," but now I would never accept or stay in in a job like that now, so it doesn't really apply.

2. Patients are not allowed to self administer meds.

3. I seem to recall from A&P that you cannot insert a suppository with the muscles used for yelling.

4. Even if he physically (and legally) could have self administered, do you really want to continue caring for the dude who you 100% know will not clean his hand after sticking it up his hinter region and will touch everything around him, including you, with that hand, to amuse himself (remember, you can't refuse to care for a patient because you don't like him!).

The mentality that being mistreated is part of the gig created the situation where that patient got away with inappropriate behavior on a regular basis.

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I thought that was basic nursing 101 not to judge your patient this way. And BTW I thought Michael Vick looked nothing like a scumbag until the pit bull incident.

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I only volunteer in an ER atm (I'm a nursing student) and this one guy always requests female PAs and Nurses to give him exams (they call him a frequent flyer). I had to get a signature from and one of the male PAs stopped me and told me he'd get it. It's nice of the male PAs and male nurse to always step in but the female staff takes care of them if no one else is there since you're supposed to regardless of the person.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

Um, not all!

I can handle flirting that's not what I mean. Never mind I just thought hospitals have security so it shouldnt' be a problem
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Specializes in Float Pool - A Little Bit of Everything.

I think 95% of my patients have at some point creeped me out in some way. I have had sexually creepy to serial killer creepy and everything in between. I just do the best I can to maintain boundaries and always have a safe route out of every room.

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Specializes in ICU, PACU.

People come in all types. We can't pick and choose. Here are some deal breakers for me: physical contact, throwing objects, fluids, or spitting, threatening comments by patient or visitors,extreme personality clashes, ethical dilemmas- I feel all of these issues need to be escalated to the charge or management immediately in a calm, professional manner. Usually social work, family, doctor, security.... are called upon to remedy as appropriate. Maybe you can continue to be assigned, maybe not. As a women, I've been complimented or whatever by men my entire career. I just ignore it. If it bothers someone, they can professionally work it out with superiors. Sometimes another colleague may have a better connection with the patient. If the patient is really bad, we usually "take turns" caring for someone. It can be very draining on one person all the time.

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Specializes in LTC, Pediatrics.

Unless the patient is physically assaulting you, suck it up buttercup. Welcome to Nursing, men AND women are terrible/creepy, learn to value your compliant and courteous patients but treat them all the same.

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