Have you ever been in danger whilst working?

caliotter3 · Jan 18, 2010

Yes. I was being stalked, harassed, and bothered. Reported the situation to my employer and was treated as if I was the problem, not those who were bothering me.

allnurses Guide · Jan 18, 2010

The healthcare system is very different in the US to Australia - it's much more of a customer service view in the US which seems to favor the pts over the staff 99% of the time!

I worked about 9-10 years in Australia (almost all ICU) and was never slightly threatened by anyone. Had a couple of prisoners in ICU as patients but they had guards standing by and were usually failed hangings who were not in any condition to be threatening.

K+MgSO4, BSN · Jan 20, 2010

Yes espically when I was working in the countryside where I was only one of 2 nurses on shift without any backup of any kind. Saying that I love the security guards where I work now They come up as soon as there is a problem and will pop back later to check everyone is ok! Bless 'em.

I have been hit by a pt and threatened by family members but my managers were great about it. In fairness if you are threatened as a 6 ft tall Irish nurse there is usually something behind it!!

But it is such a minor part of the job. I was probably more at risk working in bars and nightclubs as a student!

carolmaccas66, BSN, RN · Jun 9, 2010

I got punched in the side of the head by a slightly demented patient (he'd had an industrial accident and had plates in his head). I saw stars and was probably unconscious for quite a few seconds. Wasn't even allowed to go home, and boy, did I have a headache that night.

I have been punched (a/a); spat on full in the face with a mouthful of goo & snot I don't even want to imagine (lucky I wear glasses and my mouth was closed that day); had men put their hands right up my crotch (along with the dirty jokes etc); been yelled at, had my shirt nearly pulled over my head and been abused verbally by a surgeon and manager at one hospital, the former was screaming in my face and after complaining, nothing happened (some of these things happened a while ago when I was only a mere AIN).

But it is not all bad, there are security guards at the big hospitals, and I always get guards to walk me to my car/transport at night. You get taught self defensive techniques & there is usually a male nurse/s around. In psych abusive and sexually inappropriate male patients are always cared for by males.

There is good and bad in every job.

talaxandra · Jun 9, 2010

I've been punched, hit, kicked, scratched and yelled at - but that was all many years ago. The physical violence was all by confused patients, the yelling primarily angry or confused patients; I'm now far more aware of pre-attack movements (like muscles tensing), how far away to position myself, how firmly to restrain a limb when asssisting a colleague, and know that a straight limb can't kick with the force of a bent one!

The turning point for me was when I was in charge on nights, over a decade ago - a grad came down to tell me a patient had threatened her with an IV pump on a portable pole, lifting it over his head and shaking it at her. It was a really busy night and I was in no mood - I went down and began talking with, him standing almost next to him. He started raising his voice, so I closed the door tot he adjoining room - I saw him balls one hand in to a fist and I have no idea where it came from but I said "Do it and you'll be on the floor with your balls in a sling" (an expression I've only used then and when telling this story) - and he went straight to bed!

My hospital now haS a zero tolerance approach to violence against staff - threats or potential violence warrants a code grey, which is called over the PA and rapidly responded to by security and admin; actual violence or a weapon is code black - visitors have been detained by security and arrested.

A junior colleague was stalked by a former patient with major psych issues - he seemed harmless (as we reassured her), but he was banned from the campus, escorted off the campus twice when he breached the order, and she was escorted to and from the staff car park. My hospital protected her identity, so he had no way tot rack her down except through work. Then he confessed to the murder of a bank guard about ten years earlier, and now he's in jail.

In twenty one years of nursing in acute care I've only once felt concerned for my safety, and that was when an ED patient attacked a staff member within the hospital, over fifteen years ago. He was caught and jailed, and security was instantly (within twelve hours) tightened - swipe only access to non-patient areas, and every entrance between 8PM and 6AM.

joannep · Jun 10, 2010

Actually I agree with all the posters. Any issues I had with patient's or family took place before security was implemented within hospitals. Issues with surgeon's I would now probably file reports, when I was younger I never felt I could do that, there was still a strong culture of tolerating their bad behaviour. Probably still is in some institutions!

Jess112, It's great that you're interested in nursing and I would absolutely recommend nursing as a career!

p.s. my daughter is a nurse too!

sanstorey · Jun 10, 2010

Hi I am a nurse working in the UK. I have worked for over 4 years as a nurse. I have not experienced any physical abuse from patients but relatives can be really rude at times. The only time a patient is rude or insulting is if they are afraid or upset and usually giving them time and explaining things clearly helps. You will always get the odd patient that is just horrible by nature do not take anything personally.

The UK has a zero tolerance to physical or verbal abuse. san x

talaxandra · Jun 11, 2010

How ironic - last night a confused patient with parkinson's was startled awake by my student - he jumped out of bed, shouting and slapping at me. There was a code grey called, floor staff and the resident were there in under 30 seconds, security in less than three minutes, closely followed by the nurse co-ordinator and then psych, by which time the patients had calmed down and everything sorted.

Ten years ago I would have just been asked why I stirred him up! Instead I got asked if I wanted to go down to triage and be assessed, and/or generate an incident report, because I'd been assaulted. I declined - my arms weren't even pink :)

rozymisty · Jun 14, 2010

Ive had a few close encounters with mainly dementia patients. we had one guy who had dementia and couldnt realy communicate. LIke he knew what he wanted to say but just couldnt, and he'd keep repeating one word. One night, we did the pressure care etc and then he kept talking and got really angry and swearing and stuff like that and i went to the end of the bed away from him and said like do you want water etc etc and others came in to see what all the comotion was about and one asked blanket and he said YES!!! and thumped back in the bed lol. He was good after that.

whats scary is when you get young males in who are confused......

silvervesper · Jun 22, 2010

I've been a nurse for 10 years, but am new to the Australian working environment. Back in SIngapore, we restrained patients who were pleasantly confused because we lack the manpower to have 'specialing' nurses. First time i ever heard the word special used as a person noun. In any case, i work in Neuro in a private hospital, and the confused patients really get on my nerves, as I've gotten punched before in the gut, written incident reports, and yet nothing was done to follow up on the case, like e.g. sending me for a non-crisis interventional course would've been great. The security in my hospital only arrive like a good 3minutes after the duress alarm is activated.. I would think safety is paramount and unless u have 5 or 6 staff backing you up to restrain the patient while you haloperidol him, don't even get close to a confused patient. my 2 cents worth.