Home Health Rapes

allnurses Guide · Apr 4, 2015

I'm hospice and I agree that for me, in a rural area, dogs, cigarette smoke, and sometimes filthy homes are the top 3 contenders.

I did have one experience with a patient whose son had anger issues and a long history of arrests. We were told never to go in the home if we felt at all uncomfortable. One night I got a call and the patient had fallen out of bed while trying to use the BSC. She was all alone and it was 0200.

When I showed up at the house - a trailer - there were no lights on and she couldn't answer the door. I ended up trying the door which was unlocked. I could hear her crying and the light was on in her room. It was pretty spooky walking into a dark house but I couldn't leave her. I found her soaked in urine and on the floor.

Looking back, I should have called for someone to come with me. Nothing bad happened on that visit but we did end up getting her out of there due to unsafe conditions. I sometimes go back to that night in my mind and think . . . .was her son there? In the dark?

Mom2boysRN · Apr 4, 2015

I always recommend to new nurses to HH to know who is in the home. If I hear a noise etc I'll ask if they have someone there with them. Know where your exits are and have your phone with you. If someone creeps you out don't stay, find a reason to leave. Always note where the exits are. That said I've not had an issue in 3 years. I'm more worried about the poor air quality in some of the homes due to smoking/filth than being assaulted.

MrChicagoRN, RN · Apr 5, 2015

I worked >10 years for a very large agency. We'd take a security escort for potentially dangerous visits, usually due to neighborhood, but no one ever had a problem while I was there.

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · Apr 5, 2015

I would be more worried about rape in a parking garage working for a facility than in HH. Go with a well known agency and trust your instincts. You don't have to accept a case if you feel it is risky. One of the home health agencies that I worked for in the past had us watch a safety video and "what to do before your shift". When in doubt, we were told to not go in and call the agency to notify them that you would be unable to cover the shift. I have never had to do this.

softrbreeze · Apr 10, 2015

I've worked in home hospice for over 9 years. The first 2 or 3 years I even took my purse in the home with me (afraid to leave it in my car). I never so much as had anyone take anything out of my purse, even leaving it unattended in the home to run back out to my car to get things. Eventually, I stopped taking it in the homes with me and just left my purse on the passenger-side floor board. Sometimes I would throw a sweater or jacket over top but since I live in GA I frequently don't even have one with me. I've went into some seedy neighborhoods but never had a problem (although I've had a few who I suspected were thinking about causing one). Overall, rape is probably among the least of your risks. Bringing back roaches, bedbugs, lice, etc are things to take into consideration though. Definitely expect to have 2nd hand smoke, growling/barking dogs, caregivers and/or family/visitors taking controlled substances (may need a lockbox for them) or even the patient abusing his/her drugs, leaving you to figure out how you are going to control their pain when they are not cooperating.

GrumpyRN63, ADN, RN · Apr 23, 2015

I have never had a problem , or even felt remotely unsafe even in the worst neighborhoods. I always find the nurses are respected, people are very friendly and helpful. That being said we do have an escort if someone feels they need one. I have never used one in 7 years. I actually have a great story about locking myself out of my car in the hood. Everyone came out of the woodwork to help, and broke me back into my car. Happened Twice. LOL!

homecaresurvivor · Apr 26, 2015

I've been a home care nurse for 22 years now, primarily in rural areas, but have had numerous cases in urban/suburban areas as well, including in public housing projects, and areas with higher crime rates. Honestly, I've never worried about sexual assault. There were a few times that I had to go into a sketchy area after dark, and I called the police for an escort, which they were very happy to provide. Overall, any worries I've had about my safety were 1) car-related (getting stuck in the ice/snow, and because I'm the queen of flat tires!) and 2) fall risks (I've fallen in or outside of a patient's home several times, thanks to ice, uneven floors, etc.) As far as animals are concerned, I can honestly say there were maybe only 3 or 4 dog issues that ended up being easily resolved. My biggest scare with an animal was a "pet" goose someone had on their farm. That thing chased me around for about 30 minutes on my first visit! I had to call ahead of time from then on so they could put the goose up. My biggest environmental issue, as others have stated, is with smoke-filled homes. I'm not talking about a little second-hand smoke here and there, but those homes where 4 or 5 people are chain smokers and haven't opened their windows/doors for more than a minute in the last 10 years. Plus their thermostat is set at 85. And they use cheap air freshener to "cover" the smoke. Ugh.... I start wheezing just thinking about it! :)

brillohead, ADN, RN · Apr 30, 2015

I'm not talking about a little second-hand smoke here and there, but those homes where 4 or 5 people are chain smokers and haven't opened their windows/doors for more than a minute in the last 10 years. Plus their thermostat is set at 85. And they use cheap air freshener to "cover" the smoke. Ugh.... I start wheezing just thinking about it! :)

I've got a migraine just reading about it! BLECH! Smoke is a deal-breaker for me... I just can't handle it.

Yave · May 5, 2015

I've been doing home care for 17 years. Never really thought of rape as an issue. Most of the time you think about how to say no when you're being offered coffee, tea, food and gifts etc... Families are constantly trying to include the nurse as a family member. The nurse has to be consistent and be careful not to get close to families. Professional Boundariies issue. But not rape.