Home Health Rapes

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I posted this elsewhere but moved it here instead. For nurses who do HH, how risky is it for a woman? Are you ever afraid or feel in danger? There was a story recently on the news about a HH visit that led to her being raped.

HH sounds like a great idea, yet I can't help but wonder about the safety of it all.

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

I'd be more worried about being bitten by family's dog than being raped.

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I would bet someone who likes math and statistics (which is not me) could show statistically you have about 200 more dangerous, harmful, deadly, incidents that are more likely to happen to the average home health nurse than getting raped.

Still when going into a strangers house trust your gut instinct. There are many reasonable ideas, hints, etc., under the Specialties, Home Health Nursing in Allnurses.

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Got the shirt ^^^

I find the question odd. Why rape? What about theft or assault?

Never had a threat myself, but I'd be more concerned where I was walking alone to reach the patient than a patient related assault.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
There was a story recently on the news about a HH visit that led to her being raped.
The media produces 'news' stories to hype up certain incidents so they seem far more sensational and recurrent than they really are.

Home health nurses typically are not raped. Correctional nurses who work in jails and prisons usually aren't raped, even though the patient population consists of violent offenders and persons convicted of sexual assaults.

In home health, the most offensive things with which I've dealt are patients blowing cigarette smoke in my face while dog poop and pee invades their filthy carpets.

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The subject of safety on the job has been covered many times in the home health forum. Specifics about rape, per se, are less likely to be shared on a public website that is not geared toward therapeutic or entertainment intent.

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It was just a story on the tele so I figured I"d ask. Not about rape details per se, just the safety of that line of work for women. I'll check out the HH forum for safety tips.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I have shared here before the case of a Private Duty Nurse murdered as a casualty of a home invasion robbery some years ago. My own impression is that the nurse is left to his or herself as far as overall personal safety. They suggest things like circling the block and locating a parking space and being generally observant. Bottom line sometimes you go into high-crime neighborhoods because that's where your client lives.

The incidents I am aware of as far as sexual assaults or inappropriate behavior may come from a family member living or staying in the home. Sometimes a nurse will say "I get a creepy vibe from xxxxx family member" but the patient/client needs me . . .

This is again for me an instance where the question is "how much is the nurse willing to risk her health/personal safety for the sake of the patient?" that arises in so many related to social/cultural expectations of nurses and that of themselves.

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Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.

I worked as a district nurse for two years. My boss always made us carry our cell phones on us, in the event we ended up locked in the loo we had a means of communication.

When I was working in the lead nurse role I would always ask my nurses to call in once they were finished so I knew they were off the road.

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

Moved to Home Health Nursing for best chance of Home Health nurses responding.

OSHA: What are the hazards in home healthcare?

Home healthcare workers may be employed by a home care agency or may be self-employed independent contractors working directly for patients. They have little control over their work environment which may contain a number of safety and health hazards. These hazards include bloodborne pathogens and biological hazards, latex sensitivity, ergonomic hazards from patient lifting, violence, hostile animals and unhygienic and dangerous conditions. In addition, if their daily work schedule requires them to provide care for multiple patients, they face hazards on the road as they drive from home to home.

In the 15 yrs I've been on our HHA safety committee (urban/suburban agency with 3000 patient census), top 5 issues have been:

1. Unrestrained pets: animal bites or being tripped/falls

2. Auto accidents

3. Falls due to tripping steps/curbs, uneven surfaces; outside environmental: ice + snowstorms (15 in 2014!)

4. Musculoskeletal injuries: back + neck strains due to lifting or overreaching

5. Needlestick injuries -no conversions

OSHA requires employeers to provide a safe workplace provide their employees with working conditions that are free of known dangers. Violence reports are very rare but we carefully screen referrals and don't go to high crime, highrise areas as our staff safety is #1. Any verbal threat or creepy feeling, employee leaves; Manager contacts patient to discuss and 99% discharged post physician discussion/notification.

Resources:

Top 5 Safety Risks for Home Healthcare Workers | Ultra Risk .

Home Healthcare Workers: How to Prevent Violence on the Job (PDF). US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2012-118, (2012, February). Home healthcare workers can be vulnerable as they face an unprotected and unpredictable environment each time they enter a client's community and home. The spectrum of violence ranges from verbal abuse, to stalking or threats of assault, to homicide.

Occupational Hazards in Home Healthcare (PDF). US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2010-125, (2010). The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has published a Hazard Review Occupational Hazards in Home Healthcare to raise awareness of safety and health risks involved in home healthcare and to suggest prevention strategies to reduce injuries, illnesses, and fatalities that occur among workers in this industry.

Home Healthcare Best Practices Guide for Risk Management

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Specializes in Pedi.

This has honestly never been a concern of mine. I see patients in broad daylight in a city where houses are extremely close together. I did once have a mother of a patient (who is in state custody because of me) answer the door with a knife in her hand but she went right back to peeling potatoes as soon as she let me in.

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This has honestly never been a concern of mine. I see patients in broad daylight in a city where houses are extremely close together. I did once have a mother of a patient (who is in state custody because of me) answer the door with a knife in her hand but she went right back to peeling potatoes as soon as she let me in.

Probably not the type of story sought by the OP.

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