Home care nurses in Danger?

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Specializes in LTC , SDC and MDS certified (3.0).

I just happened to catch a new brief out of Philly A home care nurse was brutally attacked getting out of her car for a home care visit. All for her nursing bag and $300.00 As i just thought about home nursing

it scares me.What do you think?:(

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, Home Health, Oncology.

Hi

I did Home Care in Chicago for ten years. I know that my Husband was ALWAYS concerned about me during that time, but I, personally, rarely was worried. I know, I'm sometimes rather naieve, but it just didn't bather me. There were MANY times when I went to rather difficult and "Bad" areas but I just didn't let it bother me.

I did have a pager and a cell phone and my husband got me some pepper spray for my pocket.

In all those years, I really never had a problem---surpriseingly enough, the only time I had a little bit of a hard time, my DH was with me!!~ He had driven me & a guy came up to the car afterward and wanted some money---& he was standing so we couldn't drive away without running over him. He eventually moved without us giving him anything.

The only other time, I was at the same home & seeing my pt. in the very back room of the apartment. I saw her & the visit went well & I then left her bedroom to leave!! As I left the room, I found that the apartment was SWARMING with cops!! Apparantly, the lady's granddaughter had taken to chasing the upstairs tenant with a machete!! It was really kind of funny!! The cop looked at me & laughed--then he led me safely out the door!!

So in ten years. that wasn't so bad!!

I never carried very much monet with me, tho.

I just loved Home Care!!

Chicago can be a scarey city at times!!

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Infusion, peds, informatics.

you know, that was the one aspect of home care that never bothered me.

i did both inner-city and rural home health. never were any of my territories considered to be in the "good" part of town. when i worked in the city, it was the "ghetto" (as my supervisor called it); when i worked in the country, it was the poorest county in our region.

even when i made visits after dark, i was never very worried.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

so sorry this happened to her....violence directed at homecare nurses is rare. i too traveled tough troubled neighborhoods of past 20 yrs and had great "protection" of family and neighbors. i never carried more than $20.00 personally on me as advised by numerous field safety classes.

our mom-baby supervisor spent part of her day dispensing safety advice and supporting her staff. rn was shown on local news stating desire to go back to field work; however has shattered eye sockett that needs sev surgeries to repair once swelling goes down. her fighting spirit is admirable.

hospital and inpatient facilities have their risks too: muggings, rapes in dark parking lots, patient assaults and verbal abuse. always gotta keep personal safety in back of your mind.

story: sketch released in nurse attack case

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