when you feel creeped out

BonnieSc · Apr 28, 2016

I think in reality it depends on your work environment. The vast majority of facilities/hospitals would not make you work with a patient who had assaulted you or was personally threatening you if you didn't want to. If it's just a case of you being creeped out by someone, or a patient who is assaultive/threatening to everyone, most of the time you have to do it. If we have a patient who is extremely emotionally difficult to work with, no one has to work with him/her more than one shift in a row... if staffing allows. If we have a patient who is blatantly racist, we often don't assign nurses of whatever color s/he hates, just for the nurse's sake--again, if staffing allows.

Many of my patients would be considered "the scum of the earth" by the rest of the country and those of us who work there generally consider it an honor to serve those populations, if not every single individual who comes through. I know how they would be seen at other hospitals. If you truly love to help people, hopefully you would recognize that everyone is deserving of help and kindness. It is not always easy to take care of someone who just flings abusive language (or worse) at you all shift, but someone has to do it.

If this really doesn't sound like something you can do, you don't have to work at a hospital like mine and you can choose a field of nursing where you won't find as many of the kind of people you "can't stand"--but recognize that probably in every field, it's going to happen and you're going to have to rise to the occasion. A fancy hospital gets sociopaths too. L&D, NICU, peds--they all have to deal with family members, some of whom are going to be dysfunctional.

westieluv · Apr 28, 2016

I don't know if you mean creeped out in the sense that they are inappropriate with you sexually, but I have worked with several male patients over the years who flirted with me or just said downright inappropriate things like, "So, are you married and when are we going out?" I just told them kindly but firmly that I was working with them on a professional basis and that is all it would be and to please treat me as such. If they continued with the inappropriate comments, I asked not to be assigned to them again and my supervisor or charge nurse was always willing to assign me other patients.

If you mean creeped out because they are just odd or exhibit strange behaviors but not towards you personally, I usually just roll with those patients as long as I don't feel that my safety is being threatened. I have worked in a lot of environments over the years; inner city hospitals. going into homes as a hospice nurse in the middle of the night, and an outpatient dialysis clinic, to name a few, so I have met a lot of unique people, to say the least. A lot of times, what creeped me out was just them being them in their environment because it wasn't what I was accustomed to and they meant me no harm at all.

So basically, if I asked for inappropriate behavior to stop and it didn't or I felt physically endangered, I stopped the contact with that patient, otherwise I just sucked it up and continued to be their nurse.

menot · Apr 28, 2016

I didn't mean scumbag like poor, or indigent or even addict. I am a recovering alcoholic addict who was homeless. I don't know how to describe this man, I say scumbag cause I can't think. You ever heard of the night stalker Richard Ramirez that is close to what I mean, but less serial killerish

menot · Apr 28, 2016

I can handle flirting that's not what I mean. Never mind I just thought hospitals have security so it shouldnt' be a problem

AlphaM · Apr 28, 2016

Another reason I would like to be a nurse is I love to help people, I know that sounds clichÃ© 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?

That behavior is unacceptable and I'd like to point out that just like guys, there are women who exhibit similar behavior and can be just as creepy toward male staff.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Apr 28, 2016

No, you cannot refuse care because you can't stand the guy. There are going to be many patients you can't stand.

There is no picking and choosing who you take care of.

RNperdiem, RN · Apr 28, 2016

Keep any personal information about yourself to yourself. Share nothing. Follow your instincts; if you feel this guy is creepy, he probably is.

Without good cause, you probably can't refuse care.

menot · Apr 28, 2016

I agree I am surprised by how some women just think that behavior is ok. Also I guarantee these women don't care if the man is single or not.

menot · Apr 28, 2016

That behavior is unacceptable and I'd like to point out that just like guys, there are women who exhibit similar behavior and can be just as creepy toward male staff.

That behavio
I agree I am surprised by how some women just think that behavior is ok. Also I guarantee these women don't care if the man is single or not.

menot · Apr 28, 2016

I'm still not understanding how to respond to a person's post.

AlphaM · Apr 28, 2016

I'm still not understanding how to respond to a person's post.

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