Published
I had one pt who tried to reach under my dress uniform. I politely but firmly moved his hand, told him if that happened again I would be pressing charges. I told my manager immediately and she had words with the pt. (She's like a mama bear - you don'tr mess with her nurses!) He was just fine after that. Of course, the problem becomes if the pt is confuseed or demented, but that wasn't the case here.
Be firm and set boundaries. Some male patients will be severely incapacitated, post a stroke or have their southern parts not working or are highly contaigous in some way and they will still make a pass at you. It is in their charts and they act like you dont know. Do not get mad, get firm.
They usually stop.
I agree with the others, be stern, bring in two, chart it all and don't let it slide once or it will happen again. If they have dementia tell them that was wrong and try to focus their attention, and energy, elsewhere.
Yesterday in fact a pt tried grab my rear when I was at the med cart and he was being taken by me in a w/c. I was not expecting it, and really only felt his hand for a second because the aid pushing him was quick! She grab his hand and scolded him quite sternly. She said he was being very inappropriate and rude. That he was not to do that to anyone. I could hear her in the room telling him that just because I'm young......he has to treat me with respect....ect. I really appreciated her fast hands and saving me the time of telling him off.
The morale of the story "A good aide will save your a$$" (HA HA-couldn't resist it)
Oh, I have funny story that happened to my friend
A pt who always extremely inappropriate with the female staff. The nurses were so feed up, and venting to his female doctor. The doc grabbed a ruler went into the room and said "okay big boy. Take it you. If we are going to waste our time with you it has to be worth it. Come on lets measure." No one ever had a problem with him after that that, turns out big boy, he was not.
It happens. It happened a LOT at the first place I worked. All you can do is let them know it's inappropriate. There are certain settings it happens more in, from my experience-with individuals under the influence of drugs or alcohol, also certain neurological disorders can make people behave in ways they normally wouldn't.
Dezy
130 Posts
I'm not a nurse yet but I have had my share of overly friendly male attention at places I have worked at. I am wondering, once I get into nursing, how to deal with pt that cross the line? I'd be tempted to give them the back of my hand if the same thing happened to me as what I read in the "grossest thing that happened to you at work thread".
What do you guys do, or have done?