I was punched

Fiona59 · Nov 24, 2004

Call the police!!! My brother would have no problem charging him.

As for the hospital, did you talk to their media relations dept.? How would they like this little news nugget to hit the 6pm show. "Student Nurse assaulted--Nursing Students Banned for Reporting Assault". Details at 6!

Your instructor (sounds like a piece of work) go over their head to your Programme Director.

Assault is Assault, Blackmail is Blackmail(and that is what the hospital had done).

Get yourself down to the detachment, STAT and go from there.

Scavenger'sWife, RN · Nov 24, 2004

I cannot believe that! (well...actually, I can....)

Was this at a hospital or a nursing home? If this patient was, as you said, "competent", then you can files charges against HIM, not the facility. I would look into that if Iwere you. Call your local city's Legal Aide office or a lawyer you trust (!) and ask for advice. I certainly would not just "let it go". You have a right to be protected from injury and bodily harm when you are at the facility. Also it is possible your school would have to kick in for your bills, etc., because they also have a duty to keep you, a student, safe. DO NOT let the "powers that be" tell you that this will keep you or any of your fellow students from graduating, etc. OFTEN those statements are made to intimidate a person and keep him/her from pressing charges.

Make sure you get those X-rays, etc, to see that you are not permanently hurt. And KEEP the bills that you run up - even for OTC pain meds, etc., in case you do end up filing charges.

Like I said - YOU DESERVE TO BE SAFE. Even if this patient was NOT "competent", the facility must protect you. If they had knowledge the patient could be (shall we say) "feisty", they had a duty to TELL you this so you could be adequately prepared.

Let me know what happens.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Nov 24, 2004

I get frustrated with administration that won't press charges on competent people who assault people. Here in Florida it is a felony to assault a health care worker. But it's rarely used. We had an incident where a charge nurse called the police on a patient without going through administration and got put through the wringer that she never should have done that and the hospital didn't charge the patient. I guess they figure it's more trouble than it's worth. So sadly your instructor is correct. Administration usually doesn't want to press charges on patients.

I'm so sorry you got hit and understand your anger. I hope this scumbag since he wasn't charged doesn't seriously injure someone the next time, like break a bone or cause a subdural bleed.

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Nov 24, 2004

I agree this is totally wrong and unfair, but I disagree with having to possibly sacrifice everything she has worked for. While it would be good and the right thing to do to charge this jerk, I would hate to see her lose all her hard work. I am sorry you had to go through this, and you would think the people in power would do something about it. Now if someone else in your area was to leak it to the news.........................

cannoli · Nov 24, 2004

I get frustrated with administration that won't press charges on competent people who assault people. Here in Florida it is a felony to assault a health care worker. But it's rarely used. We had an incident where a charge nurse called the police on a patient without going through administration and got put through the wringer that she never should have done that and the hospital didn't charge the patient. I guess they figure it's more trouble than it's worth. So sadly your instructor is correct. Administration usually doesn't want to press charges on patients.
I'm so sorry you got hit and understand your anger. I hope this scumbag since he wasn't charged doesn't seriously injure someone the next time, like break a bone or cause a subdural bleed.

Are you saying the hospital wouldn't press charges against the patient?

Was a staff member assaulted? If so, the staff member should be able to press charges, regardless of what administration wants done.

cannoli · Nov 24, 2004

Call the police!!! My brother would have no problem charging him.
As for the hospital, did you talk to their media relations dept.? How would they like this little news nugget to hit the 6pm show. "Student Nurse assaulted--Nursing Students Banned for Reporting Assault". Details at 6!
Your instructor (sounds like a piece of work) go over their head to your Programme Director.
Assault is Assault, Blackmail is Blackmail(and that is what the hospital had done).
Get yourself down to the detachment, STAT and go from there.

I totally agree.

SharonH, RN · Nov 24, 2004

Let me be clear about this:

Call the police.

Allowing yourself to be assaulted and abused is no way to begin your nursing career. What is being said to you here: that you have no value and that the school and the hospital is more important that you are. You need to send them all a message: that you will not be treated like garbage. Are you questioning the wisdom of joining a profession that encourages its members to suffer abuse in silence?

NurseGuy_in_06 · Nov 24, 2004

Your location says Canada. Are you going to school in Canada? If I had been punched then threatened by the hospital I would call the police and threaten the hospital with a lawsuit if they tried to throw us out. However, your laws may be different.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Nov 24, 2004

been there done that

call the police. file a complaint.

who knows, the next victim might not be as fortunate he didn't kill them.

call the police.

SharonH, RN · Nov 24, 2004

yesterday while in clinical i was punched by one of my clients, he just wailed on me without any notice. Now my face looks like crap, a huge black eye and cheek on the one side, even the bridge of my nose is bruised.
This man wasn't little either he was compitent, this was all because he was mad that i wouldn't/couldn't give him a narcotic (I'm only a student) I ofered to get the nurse I was co-assigned with but then he got really angry and started pulling out his IV, i stepped closer to encourage him to stop and then he let me have it. I was so shoked, and seeing stars. my nose was gusshing blood and I could barely drag myself out of his room.
ALL that was done was that incident reports were made, no charges. My prof said we should contact the police as this is assult but the administration got all over our @$$es about then the school will not be aloud to return for clinicals for the rest of the semester. This would not only affect my education but about 2/3 of my class. My prof said it was up to me what i wanted to do, and i chose not to call the police because I wanna graduate, and not screw up my classmates year.
But the situation really pisses me off. I look like crap, it hurts and I had to have e-rays of my face to look for broken facial bones.
Thanx for letting me rant

P.S. Are you aware that the hospitals and the schools make contracts for students to go through clinicals? Those things have to go through legal and everything. They can't just stop the school from doing clinicals there mid-year in retaliation for you being attacked by one of their patients. I agree with the person who suggested that you involve the news if the hospital tries something like that. How low they are to manipulate you like that and try to make you feel guilty for wanting to report a crime as though you would be responsible for the others' educations.

ICUnowOHN · Nov 24, 2004

I'm with all of the above suggesting you make a report. You don't absolutely have to have it prosecuted, but it should be documented. This may or may not be the first time this person has attacked staff. The whole story about the school not being allowed to continue clinicals is just an attempt to get the matter dropped. Stick up for yourself, and the next student this nit wit decides to go after.