Nurse fired for calling police

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in ER, Tele, Cardiac Cath Lab.

Last year while eating at local restuarant i witnessed an irate customer being removed by police for screaming at the staff. Last month i witness a patient daughter screaming at staff for more than a week , security called almost every day. She was 10 times worse than the restuarant customer. Each day the nurse manager and administration kissed her butt and apologized. She would make a scene , throw things, etc...

Everyday she was given a new nurse. Nurses were calling off like crazy to avoid this unpleaseasble daughter. Finally after multiple problems with this daughter it came to a head. She came into the nursing station and began to throw things. The charge nurse called the police and she had to be removed kicking and screaming. One week later the nurse was fired for not handling it internally!!!

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Specializes in SICU.

yikes. I can't believe she was fired. She was trying to do the right thing and keep her coworkers safe. How can you hold that against someone. Security should have been called first because they can respond much faster than the police anyway... but still.

I hate that we as nurses are expected to put up with this kind of behavior from patient family members. I am sorry, but I am a professional, and I did not spend years getting my education to become a punching bag. There is no place for this kind of behavior and I think that people that can not act appropriately need to have restricted/and or police/security escorts when they come to the unit.

These individuals are toxic. We have at least 7 nurses that have left within the last 2 months because families are out of control and they are not going to deal with it. Everyones hands are tied, management included, because the higher ups are not understanding the frontline anymore. I feel bad for our floor managers because they often end up looking like they don't support their staff because of limitations placed upon them by upper management. I wish there was a solution that was CONSISTENT. Consistency is the biggest problem I feel.

I think there needs to be a "Difficult Visitor Pathway" lol. :D

Too bad she was fired though. That sends a terrible message to the staff. :(

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Specializes in Med Surg, Tele, PH, CM.

Handling it internally?? Sounds like they weren't doing such a good job. Healthcare facilities areso afraid of lawsuits that they often forget their jobs, one of which is creating a safe enviornment for patients and staff. Hope that hospital is in a competetive marketplace. I would find a lawyer, file a wrongful termination (for defending herself?) lawsuit and make sure it makes the papers. Slant it to the "I was trying to protect my patients and staff" viewpoint and see what happens.I would never seek care in a facility that fired someone for trying to protect the floor from a crazy woman.....

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Last year while eating at local restuarant i witnessed an irate customer being removed by police for screaming at the staff. Last month i witness a patient daughter screaming at staff for more than a week , security called almost every day. She was 10 times worse than the restuarant customer. Each day the nurse manager and administration kissed her butt and apologized. She would make a scene , throw things, etc...

Everyday she was given a new nurse. Nurses were calling off like crazy to avoid this unpleaseasble daughter. Finally after multiple problems with this daughter it came to a head. She came into the nursing station and began to throw things. The charge nurse called the police and she had to be removed kicking and screaming. One week later the nurse was fired for not handling it internally!!!

All the more reasons why nurses leave the bedside on the first thing smoking...:down:

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Specializes in Med Surg, Tele, PH, CM.

These individuals are toxic. We have at least 7 nurses that have left within the last 2 months because families are out of control and they are not going to deal with it. Everyones hands are tied, management included, because the higher ups are not understanding the frontline anymore.

:(

This is not only the staff we're talking about. How would anyone like to have a loved-one on a floor with a visitor who threw regular tantrums, and was physically violent? I worked as a Practice Administrator for a large, reputable Health Care System that make public image a high priority. I had several patients who were disruptive in the waiting room every time they came in. To my surprise, Exec Management instructed me to quietly give these folks one warning, then remove them from the waiting room and dismiss them from the practice. Sends a message to everyone that, out of consideration for our staff and patients in the clinic, we would not tolerate that kind of behavior. I had more than one patient who was witness to bad behavior thank me.

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unbelievable!!! you're right, as soon as a guest in a restaurant begins behaving in an unacceptable manner, they call the police. in every single restaurant i have worked in, that is exactly how it was. i would think that at the hospital, they would be even faster to call the police! it's such a shame that it really isn't that way at all. i think this "customer service" bs has gone too far. you are there to care for the patients. you know, the sick and injured, etc., not to please every person who walks in the door. if they don't want escorted out then they should be on their best behavior. that behavior would have been unacceptable in any place that person was. i don't know why it should be tolerated in a hospital!!

[color=#483d8b]i wonder, 20 years ago, how did people behave in hospitals? was there ever a time when people were respectful of the staff and patients? if so, how long ago was that, anyway?

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
yikes. I can't believe she was fired. She was trying to do the right thing and keep her coworkers safe. How can you hold that against someone. Security should have been called first because they can respond much faster than the police anyway... but still.

I hate that we as nurses are expected to put up with this kind of behavior from patient family members. I am sorry, but I am a professional, and I did not spend years getting my education to become a punching bag. There is no place for this kind of behavior and I think that people that can not act appropriately need to have restricted/and or police/security escorts when they come to the unit.

These individuals are toxic. We have at least 7 nurses that have left within the last 2 months because families are out of control and they are not going to deal with it. Everyones hands are tied, management included, because the higher ups are not understanding the frontline anymore. I feel bad for our floor managers because they often end up looking like they don't support their staff because of limitations placed upon them by upper management. I wish there was a solution that was CONSISTENT. Consistency is the biggest problem I feel.

I think there needs to be a "Difficult Visitor Pathway" lol. :D

Too bad she was fired though. That sends a terrible message to the staff. :(

What hospital do you work at? Just curious.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I would not normally suggest this, but I think that nurse should get a lawyer now. That whole situation screams "wrongful termination". I'm sorry but if some visitor was having a tantrum and throwing objects and I got hit with something, the police would be called and charges would be pressed. If I got fired for that, I would definately call Geoffrey Feiger.

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

If I worked for a place that would not let me call the police when it was appropriate, they wouldn't have to fire me. I'd quit on the spot -- after I called the cops.

Then I might get a lawyer, but not for wrongful termination, for obstructing justice.

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Specializes in dialysis (mostly) some L&D, Rehab/LTC.

I would definately call a lawyer and then picket out front of the hospital...off of their property...that I was violated by a pts. family member and fired....:watherthunderstormc

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Specializes in ER, Tele, Cardiac Cath Lab.
What hospital do you work at? Just curious.

Cleveland clinic hospital weston florida total hotel

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There was a time when the public respected nurses and treated them well. I was working at a large facility then and we were treated very well by the public. I do not think we have quite as many issues here where I live but it has definately changed. I know this sounds old-fashioned but I do think parents not teaching the kids manners and how to behave have a lot to do with present day behaviors of a lot of patients. I do not know of one show on TV these days that teaches moral behavior, values or ethics. Parents are busy working, so TV and understaffed day care center are doing what parents used to do. I have several grandchildren, they all have manners, drilled into them by parents and by grandparents. I know several situations where my daughters have been called and complemented on the behavior of these children in less than ideal circumstances. One lady at the local bank stated she loves to see any of these kids come in, they are the only customers under age 40 who ever say thank you (according to her). Now that is sad.

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