How do you handle inappropriate touching from patients?

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I work in a LTC and most of the old men are quite literally 'dirty old men'. I am a well endowed person and have this issue a lot. I have one patient that will go as far as trying to rub his toes on my breasts while I'm doing a treatment on his legs. Telling him his behavior is inappropriate only seems to egg it on and make it worse. I finally told him I was only 16 and what he was doing was not only inappropriate but also illegal. I'm not 16 but thankfully I look it so I was able to pull the lie off with ease.

How do you handle inappropriate touching from patients?

Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

He's likely got a number of cognitive issues. Early dementia with poor impulse control, dementia due to CAD, whatever. You need to come up with a consistent plan of care. Sterile attention seems more suitable then verbally freaking out. Do you have a male nurse on any shift who can complete the treatment? Not doing the treatment is usually not effective-these people don't care if their feet fall off. You can't reason with them ,their reasoners are broken. You need to have a meeting and involve the family, maybe he will listen to them.. What type of treatmen is it? Can it be re-evaluated and d/c'd? Can you have a cna hold one leg away while you work on the other from the foot of the bed?

It's toes to boobies-are you really feeling that violated? Your reactions are egging him on. He is not giving you purple nurples or shoving his hand in your crotch. Not really appropriate to "bring in the law" Maybe a psych consult. Is he acting out in other ways? Lots of old letches on LTC-everyone has to be consistent in their approach-sterile attention is usually effective but it takes time.

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I have not been in this situation. However, if I were I would possibly due one of several things.

  • Tell them their behavior is inappropriate and unwelcome.
  • Report this behavior to the charge nurse.
  • Get someone to accompany me next time I enter their room.
  • See if someone else can be assigned to them.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

Only approach him with a second staff member present. Document every event so you have proof, the second staff is also proof as a witness. Report him up the chain of command, if your supervisor can't or won't stop it go to their supervisor and their supervisor up to the administrator if need be until somebody does something. If you work for a corporate facility look into reporting him directly to HR if your facility doesn't deal with it. Frankly dementia or not what he is doing is sexual assault and needs to dealt with appropriately. A threat of eviction and/or police involvement, and a facility that is willing to follow through with it is in my opinion the best course.

Hopefully you work for a good facility/company that won't tolerate that kind of behavior from a resident, if not you can probably expect some fallout. Good luck!

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Specializes in Geriatric.

Last night he tried to grab my crotch and yes I feel "that violated". He is completely cognitive and knows what he's doing. He only does it with me and told a fellow staff member he doesn't like me because "that ******* ***** won't let me touch her tits". I am not only the charge nurse, I am the only nurse. There aren't male staff members and everyone goes in that room in twos. I flat out do not feel comfortable around him and I have every right to feel that way.

I'm going to complain to the boss again and try to figure something out. I don't get paid enough to be subjected to this behavior.

I've tried everything you all have mentioned and am still hoping someone has an idea I haven't thought of.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Last night he tried to grab my crotch and yes I feel "that violated". He is completely cognitive and knows what he's doing. He only does it with me and told a fellow staff member he doesn't like me because "that ******* ***** won't let me touch her tits". I am not only the charge nurse, I am the only nurse. There aren't male staff members and everyone goes in that room in twos. I flat out do not feel comfortable around him and I have every right to feel that way.

I'm going to complain to the boss again and try to figure something out. I don't get paid enough to be subjected to this behavior.

I've tried everything you all have mentioned and am still hoping someone has an idea I haven't thought of.

Refuse to care for him. His age does not preclude him from sexual harassment. Remind your employer that you will be filing sexual assault charges. Groping is considered illegal when there is no consent. The legal charge can vary from state to state but generally is considered to be sexual battery, sexual groping, or "unlawful touching". In some jurisdictions, groping is considered "Criminal Sexual Conduct", in the second to fourth degree. It says you are from Kansas ....
Chapter 21: Crimes And Punishments

PART II.--PROHIBITED CONDUCT

Article 35: Sex Offenses

Statute 21-3517: Sexual battery. (a) Sexual battery is the intentional touching of the person of another who is 16 or more years of age, who is not the spouse of the offender and who does not consent thereto, with the intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of the offender or another. (b) Sexual battery is a class A person misdemeanor.

© This section shall be part of and supplemental to the Kansas criminal code.

History: L. 1983, ch. 109, 13; L. 1992, ch. 298, 30; L. 1993, ch. 291, 52; July 1.

Call corporate compliance if you have one. Call the EEOC and file a complaint....they are free. Sadly.....Be prepared to possibly lose your job though...most administrations do not like noisy employees.

Tell your boss and HR that you will not care for this man and if you have you you will be documenting and notifying the EEOC to investigate. Let everyone know you are serious. Tell them it continues you will press charges

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently filed a lawsuit that reinforces the need to be vigilant concerning harassment by non-employees in a healthcare environment. In a lawsuit filed in federal district court on Sept. 6, the EEOC charged a health system in Virginia with violating federal law by subjecting a female employee to a sexually hostile work environment. According to the EEOC, a receptionist at the hospital was subjected to sexual harassment by the same male patient from April to December 2009, and again from June to September 2010.

As described in the lawsuit, the harassment included unwelcome sexual comments such as an invitation that she "run away" with the patient, statements that he was "visualizing her naked" and suggestions that she have sex with him. The commission alleges that these kind of comments were made both in person when the patient visited the facility and by telephone when he called in to the facility. Significantly, the lawsuit also alleges that the receptionist complained about these statements to her supervisor, who did nothing to stop them. On these facts, the EEOC seeks both compensatory and punitive damages, as well as injunctive relief, against the employer-health system.

http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/legal-regulatory-issues/healthcare-employers-liable-for-harassment-by-patients-not-just-employees.html
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Specializes in Geriatric.

Thank you esme. I battle with PTSD from childhood sexual trauma and normally I can handle it but then again normally it's from a patient that has no clue who he is from dementia which to me is easier to deal with because those type of patients are easily redirected. This patient knows what he's doing and I'm singled out.

I just talked to my DON and she going to discuss it with social services and try to get him admitted for an eval. Hopefully this will happen and be the end of it.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Thank you esme. I battle with PTSD from childhood sexual trauma and normally I can handle it but then again normally it's from a patient that has no clue who he is from dementia which to me is easier to deal with because those type of patients are easily redirected. This patient knows what he's doing and I'm singled out.

I just talked to my DON and she going to discuss it with social services and try to get him admitted for an eval. Hopefully this will happen and be the end of it.

I am so sorry....((HUGS)) but you do not have to put up with it...a predator is a predator regardless of their age.
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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

The facility needs to intervene on your behalf. I hope they do.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
Thank you esme. I battle with PTSD from childhood sexual trauma and normally I can handle it but then again normally it's from a patient that has no clue who he is from dementia which to me is easier to deal with because those type of patients are easily redirected. This patient knows what he's doing and I'm singled out.

I just talked to my DON and she going to discuss it with social services and try to get him admitted for an eval. Hopefully this will happen and be the end of it.

Does this man have family? Have they been notified of this man's unacceptable and unlawful behavior? Are they aware that if he gropes you again you are prepared to file charges?

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It's toes to boobies-are you really feeling that violated? Your reactions are egging him on. He is not giving you purple nurples or shoving his hand in your crotch. Not really appropriate to "bring in the law" Maybe a psych consult.

No one has the right to wilfully touch a woman’s breast against her will. It doesn’t matter if it’s touching/stroking/squeezing that leaves no marks or rougher handling that leaves a bruise. I can’t believe I even have to say this!

Also, questioning if a person really feels violated when she obviously does is in my opinion out of line. So is the part about her egging him on.

In my opinion it’s very reasonable to file sexual harassment charges, when a person who is aware of what they’re doing is wrong, repeatedly rubs his toes against someone else’s breast against their expressed wish.

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Thank you esme. I battle with PTSD from childhood sexual trauma and normally I can handle it but then again normally it's from a patient that has no clue who he is from dementia which to me is easier to deal with because those type of patients are easily redirected. This patient knows what he's doing and I'm singled out.

I just talked to my DON and she going to discuss it with social services and try to get him admitted for an eval. Hopefully this will happen and be the end of it.

So sorry, marvelmom......the patient you describe sounds much like someone I once took care of.....what eventually helped curb his behavior was when his MD prescribed transdermal estrogen patches . The estrogen didn't completely eliminate his behavior, but greatly reduced it. Good luck! ((((hugs)))) .

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Marvelmom, I really hope this situation works out for you. I am so, so sorry. You should not have to endure this. No one should put up with that kind of behavior.

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