Have you ever been hit by a patient?

EndoRN · Jun 4, 2001

I was hit twice when I was an aide (that I can recall) Both by confused, elderly pts. The one was a man and he hit me upside the head so hard my ear felt like it was on fire! The second was a little lady sitting on the potty and I was going to help her off. She slapped me in the face! I remember asking her, "why did you do that?" And her saying "Don't you get smart with me!" (That was someone else's light, also. I was being nice, helping out....sigh....)

night owl · Jun 4, 2001

I too have been hit in the eye, scratched, pinched, STRANGLED, kicked, spit on, chased

and verbally abused by confused, elderly,

schizophrenic pts. The worst I think was this schizo walked down the hall naked and into the shower room that had too many pts in it already. As I went in to tell him to come on out and let some of the pts come out to make room for him, he turned around and tried to strangle me! Had no idea that he would try something like that. Luckily there were a couple of NA's near by. It took two of them to get him off of me.

Got hit in the eye and was out of work for four days by a pt who was sitting quietly in his lumex cardiac chair with his arms hanging to the sides. It was right after lunch and as I bent down to check his undergarment to see if he was wet, that hand came up so fast and connected with my right eye. Talk about seeing stars! It felt like the eye went out the back of my head. I wound up going to the ophthamologist four days in a row, treating me for a corneal abrasion. You learn to keep your one arms length distance after awhile...

JennieBSN · Jun 4, 2001

No one has 'gotten' me yet, but I feel certain it is only a matter of time. Have had pt. try to bite me once...ONCE. I jerked my arm back, said, 'I don't think so,' and went out to the nurses' station for a breather. The doc was there, when I told him she was trying to bite me, he went in there and gave her a stern talking-to and said NOT to abuse his nurses!! I have seen other nurses get quite beat up, though. One got a fractured elbow.

Geez, threads like this make me hate my job...

nursejanedough · Jun 5, 2001

I have had an elderly patient kick me with his heel (across the room) while doing wound care on the other heel. Several kicks in the shin (child/adolescent) psych, attempted bites (geriatric), one ice pick held up at me (home health psych), and an angry gang member with a billy club walking by me and looking intensely at me (home health med/surg), and lots of verbal abuse. All I can think of right now.

codebluechic, ASN, RN · Jun 5, 2001

I have been pinched and scratched multiple times but the worst was when I was punched HARD in the chest by a 20-something pt. Staff came running in when they heard the SMACK! Hurt for a while.

Joanm · Jun 5, 2001

Many years ago a patient going into DT's tried to strangle me with his IV tubing. He had just had a cardiac revascularization procedure and forgot to mention that he had a drinking problem. Another time I was working in an ER when a young man, high on something kicked me in the stomach. He had on heavy work boots. Did I mention I was six months pregnant at the time?

Joanm · Jun 5, 2001

Many years ago a patient going into DT's tried to strangle me with his IV tubing. He had just had a cardiac revascularization procedure and forgot to mention that he had a drinking problem. Another time I was working in an ER when a young man, high on something kicked me in the stomach. He had on heavy work boots. Did I mention I was six months pregnant at the time?

TracyRN · Jun 5, 2001

The worst I've had is when a teeny little old confused lady grabbed my left breast in a death grip and twisted... and gripped... and twisted. Had an interesting bruise. Learned not to lean over confused pts. :eek:

rncountry · Jun 5, 2001

Used to work in Neuro ICU, get good at ducking and diving there. Was kicked into a wall by a guy going through DTs there. Day nurse took off restraints because he seemed ok, my first assessment he put his foot into my chest and I was sent flying into the wall. Another neuro patient tried to strangle me with my stethoscope, learned to never wear it around my neck while leaning over a patient. EVER. Had a front tooth cracked by an stroke patient in LTC. I was measuring the wound she had from laying on the floor for two days before any family members came to check on her. That leg was flaccid, the other she kicked me like she was a rocketter dancer. Eventually that tooth had to be capped, and no the facility did not pay for it despite the incident report. I have had confused elderly patients bite, scratch and slap. All of these incidents were with confused and scared patients. Only once was attacked by someone that was not confused, a young man that was under federal firearms violation arrest when I worked neuro. He was an observation patient. He had gotten into a car accident and when his pants where cut off in the ER a gun fell out. Hence his arrest. No officer posted because he had broken both legs and was in traction, figured he wasn't going anywhere I guess. He had friends that came up to see him, individuals I would not want to meet on a dark street to say it kindly, they were informed that they were not allowed visitation based on the arrest, not even parents were allowed to visit. A commonation insured, later patient wanted to know why friends had not been allowed in as he had heard the whole thing, told him why and I got a smack upside my head that left my ears ringing. This is the one time I can say that I had a patient hit me that I was ANGRY. :mad: Oh, and his friends, they threatened to shot me in the parking lot. Had security escort to and from my car for awhile, wasn't sure why since they didn't carry guns or any other weapons.

I don't know too many nurses who haven't been bopped at one time or another.

lpnandloveit1 · Jun 5, 2001

Had an elderly confused pt break my nose with a well aimed punch and then rebreak it 6 wks later. Had a little old lady Pinch nipple so hard it turned purple I was holding her on her side for a Dr. and she just grabbed thats a pain you don't forget

prmenrs, RN · Jun 5, 2001

Ah, yes. Thanks for all these reasons to keep working NICU!