How much Verbal Abuse should a nurse take from a PATIENT?

Krissy NY · Jun 28, 2004

During my first job in a nursing home as a CNA I had to take care of a very grouchy man in his 80's. Whenever I had his hallway and he knew it was me he went nuts with the callbell and although capable of getting to the bathroom with some assistance he always had a BM in his bed.

He would ring and tell me "it's too late, I made a mess" and somehow it was my fault. Well, as I cleaned him up he would carry on about how stupid I was and how I would never make a nurse, how I was crazy. I went to my charge nurse about it and she seemed annoyed with me..like..go do your job, you are, after all, my maid. I don't think so!

I refused to go back into his room. I was treated as badly by the CNA's as I was by the resident so I complained of a migrain and went home. THe supervising nurse was alos nasty and said "everyone has told me you are upset because of something a resident said to you and you are NOT sick and you look fine and go back and see what he needs" even after I explained what he did to me.

I refuse to be treated like a dog...and their are nurses out there who don't care how the residents treat the cna's, they could break your nose and you would be told to get over it and go do your job in this facility.

I don't think so. Maybe this is why there is such a huge nursing shortage.

CHIRN · Jun 28, 2004

I tolerate the mental and physical abuse to a certain extent...mainly because of my working environment. In the ICU, we tend to get a great deal of hypoxic, demented, and mentally ill patients (schizophrenics and bi-polars seem to gravitate to our unit). But there is only SO much one person can take. Last week, after hours of verbal and finally physical abuse (my patient hit me), I had to step out of the room and literally count to ten slowly. Fortunately, there are days patients tend to "reap what they sow". One of my patients was a paranoid schizophrenic, violent, and verbally abusive. One day, after many attempts to hit me and screaming at me he decided he would spit on me. However, he forgot that he was wearing a venti mask at the time. So...the lugie(sp?) that he sent flying hit him squarely in his face. What a shame...

Dixiedi · Jun 28, 2004

During my first job in a nursing home as a CNA I had to take care of a very grouchy man in his 80's. Whenever I had his hallway and he knew it was me he went nuts with the callbell and although capable of getting to the bathroom with some assistance he always had a BM in his bed.
He would ring and tell me "it's too late, I made a mess" and somehow it was my fault. Well, as I cleaned him up he would carry on about how stupid I was and how I would never make a nurse, how I was crazy. I went to my charge nurse about it and she seemed annoyed with me..like..go do your job, you are, after all, my maid. I don't think so!
I refused to go back into his room. I was treated as badly by the CNA's as I was by the resident so I complained of a migrain and went home. THe supervising nurse was alos nasty and said "everyone has told me you are upset because of something a resident said to you and you are NOT sick and you look fine and go back and see what he needs" even after I explained what he did to me.
I refuse to be treated like a dog...and their are nurses out there who don't care how the residents treat the cna's, they could break your nose and you would be told to get over it and go do your job in this facility.
I don't think so. Maybe this is why there is such a huge nursing shortage.

Oh, I don't mean for this to sound rude to you but I'm sure it will come out that way if I don't first suggest you keep a very open mind when you read it, OK?

Is you personality that type that allows people to "get to you?" Maybe this old man took advantage of you because he could. Could it be that the other CNAs wouldn't have tolerated it from him so he took his frustrations out on you. Could the other CNAs and the nurse/s have done the same thing?

If you are the kind of person that other people can pretty easily "get to" then please take a course in assertive training.

I don't mean to sound mean, I don't know you or them but it seems if everybody was mean it could be that your personality is not strong enough and they simply took their frustrations out on you becasue they could.

NO, they shouldn't have but frustrated people often do and I don't want to see you give up on nursing down the road because you are "easy" prey.

pghfoxfan · Jun 29, 2004

Duct tape works nicey

Trvln Nurse, RN · Jul 10, 2004

I have just started a new home health care case. My client is a well to do person and treats the other nurses and myself like DIRT... Constant verbal abuse is a norm from this client.
We have been called the "w" word for prostitute, the "s" word for loose woman, the "B" word for female dog and worse.
the last shift I worked this client pulled my hair, slapped at me, sniped, spit and was totally "with it" during every episode.
This client's tounge is like a two sided razor and I'm needing advice on how to Doctument the abuse with out being personal, catty or unprofessional.
HELP!!!!

Your question asked how much verbal abuse should a nurse take from a patient. My answer is "NONE" set your boudaries and be firm! That is unacceptable.