patient caused injuries

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by TIREDmidnightRN
May 31, '02 Views: 3,960 Comments: 35

My daughter recently suffered a back injury when a client repeatedly ignored the EMT warnings to keep hands inside the stretcher and instead grabbed a stair rail while being transprted. An UAP was fired and then reinstated after allegations by an alert and oriented client were proven false. I was once vomited on by a client who AIMED the stuff at me!
I wonder how many have been harmed by a client who was either acting out of anger/stress or acting in defiance of common sense and the caregiver's advice?
Do employers seem to be concerned about this, or jusat cover themselves with the line ,"It is part of the job description."?
Poll: have you ever been harmed by a client who did, or should have known better?
- yes
  
  50.00% 34
- no
  
  23.53% 16
- no, but I have had close calls
  
  16.18% 11
- no, but I have seen it happen to others
  
  10.29% 7
68 Votes
About TIREDmidnightRN

Joined: May '02; Posts: 71
travel nurse

35 Comments

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May 31, '02
Occupation: research nurse Joined: Oct '01; Posts: 1,878; Likes: 44

I've had people hurt me on purpose when I've asked them to squeeze my fingers -- grown men, A&O!!! I had a patient who was a convict try to kill me. And really the one that made me the most angry was a lady who has right-sided weakness as her baseline. She said that she transfers from WC to BSC at home "all the time" without any problems. She was only on my floor for about 2 hours for observation for some reason. Anyway, she want to go to the commode and I called for help and she SWORE up and down that she and I could do it, "I do it by myself all the time, really!" and I said, Okay (duhhhhh - let me take my thumb out of my nose long enough to help you -- is how stupid *I* was!!!!), and the next thing I know, she's just dropped herself on me, full weight. She seemed to think it was funny - and so did hubby, who watched the whole thing.

Love

Dennie
May 31, '02
From: US ; Joined: Oct '01; Posts: 6,238; Likes: 1,829

But I have had multiple injuries including broken bones working with adults with dementia and one really sweet old guy having a psychotic reaction to MS Contin.

Another bonus to working with kids...they don't hit as hard and are easier to out run
Jun 1, '02
Joined: Sep '01; Posts: 16,606; Likes: 680

"Lead your life so you won't be ashamed to sell the family parrot to the town gossip."

Love that quote, kids-r-fun!

I was kicked by an elderly patient once, but suffered no serious injuries. Most patients I've cared for have been super to me, thank the Lord!
Jun 1, '02
Occupation: a just a nurse contemplating the nature of my career..... Joined: Oct '01; Posts: 2,344; Likes: 21

clocked on one side of my of my noggin..........

and yes, they knew better.........

but don't trust me......I have never been right since then.......

hehehehehehe

think i listed my "nursing war wounds on another thread"

micro and out
Jun 1, '02
Occupation: travel nurse Joined: May '02; Posts: 71

Most clients are great.......but just as one very demanding person can impact care for everyone by sucking up soooo much time, the few who cause harm take nurses and other health care workers out of commission, at a time when nobody can afford that.
Jun 1, '02
Joined: Apr '00; Posts: 347; Likes: 26

:stone :stone :stone Was injured the other night at work...pulled onto the floor by a pt who was falling...neck hurts,legs hurt..and was told it was my fault... she also bent my left ring finger in a manner that caused my ring to lacerate my knuckle. And it was my fault. :stone
The to add insult to injury,have been called every night since then to come in...only listened to messages...did not dignify their ignorant requests with a reply. :stone
Ah, the perks of this job are astounding...ER doc said I was just looking for time off from work...???????? Sure, I am an independently wealthy baroness...this is my hobby.
Jun 1, '02
Occupation: a just a nurse contemplating the nature of my career..... Joined: Oct '01; Posts: 2,344; Likes: 21

and was told by who that it was your fault........
Jun 1, '02
Occupation: travel nurse Joined: May '02; Posts: 71

When I was an LPN in nursing homes a usually cooperative patient developed delirium and began acting out sexually...in a very aggressive manner..I sent him to ED for evaluation to r/o possible septic cause....they sent him back right away..the ER doc had written that the nurses must have been provokative with the man!!!!!!!!! RIGHT!!!! In fact, the man had a UTI brewing and was diagnosed and treated at a DIFFERENT hospital!!!!
Jun 3, '02
Joined: ; Posts: n/a

I do think the OB patient who pinched me with every contraction (spectacular bruises!) WAS in her right mind, but the psych pt who bit me wasn't, LOL.
Jun 3, '02
Occupation: research nurse Joined: Oct '01; Posts: 1,878; Likes: 44

Oh, micro, didn't you know? Nursing is NOT a dangerous profession? People who get hurt at work are ALWAYS at fault. It's their practice that was wrong, not that there wasn't enough help, or the equipment wasn't available.

(Edited to remove inflammatory comment because there are probably some perfectly lovely people, probably even on this here bb, who are workers comp nurses and I shouldn't paint them with the same brush as the ones where I worked).

Love

Dennie
Jun 18, '02
Joined: Jan '02; Posts: 5,673; Likes: 159

Yes, Dennie...when we get hurt it IS always our fault....we weren't lifting correctly or weren't following policy or...or...or...we're just LYING!

Couldn't POSSIBLY be due to extremely poor staffing, the wrong equipment, outlandish physical demands on top of stress....they have to find a way to blame the nurse.

Sad thing is it works...most injured nurses just slink off to lick their wounds.
Jun 22, '02
Occupation: travel nurse Joined: May '02; Posts: 71

This is crazy! I can remember waaaaaaay back in my first classes being taught that if we became ill we were ASSUMED to have failed to follow proper technique! If you spill coffee on yourself you can sue McDonalds for serving hot coffee while it is hot.......if you break a jar of pickles in a store because you are angry....and then slip in the spill you can become rich off the store (it happened) and if you get harmed while breaking into someone's home or business you can sue the person you were trying to harm....but if you are a nurse and you give too much or try too hard at work, you are blamed for the harm others do to you!!!
We need to be stronger here.....we need to start pushing for legal protection that is assumed in every other profession and job....if someone hurts you THEY pay, not YOU!!!!!!!!

patient caused injuries

Poll: have you ever been harmed by a client who did, or should have known better?

About TIREDmidnightRN

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