I was punched

Jo Dirt · Nov 25, 2004

I am amazed at what I just read:crying2: :angryfire I would document, pics, witness reports, e-rays , etc whatever documention you can get. talk to a legal advisor. Call the police and file a personal report for now to avoid the school and the hospital. I agree the school or hospital should pay for your bills. They have to carry malpractice insurance and injury insurance. If you were to slip and fall they would have to pay even if you were a student nurse there. Also if they new this pt. was this way they should have never even put a student nurse in a position like that. Angelia

Yea, now that you mention it, I'll bet the hospital is a little worried you might decide to hold them responsible which is why they are trying to smooth over everything and play it down.

DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT!!!:angryfire :angryfire :angryfire

kathy_79 · Nov 25, 2004

i also approve what Scavenger'sWife says. you can file civil case for assault esp. if pt is A&Ox3. if you have any witnesses who heard what hospital staff replied to you it would help. i think also go chain of command. ask for advice and what the best thing to do in your situation, but do not leave it like this. you were harmed and it is not right. if we have to respect our pts, they need to do the same. i understand that pt was in pain, but if you explained him that you cannot give him iv med and why, and you was going to notice his nurse, what that man did is out of normal, respectfull behave and ethic.

good luck, get well soon. :)

Still Riding · Nov 25, 2004

Thanx everyone for all your support, i really appreciate it. As stated before charges have been laid, and now i seem to have everyones support.

I've also been given a little over a week to heal, but i think they meant stay home and heal. I figure I'm going to do all the things since the semester started that I haven't had time to do (and I mean fun things, NO work). I even think I might go home for a few days (about 4 hours away) and chill with friends and family.

The man the hit me is currantly in custady (spelled so wrong), still at the facility, but has a nice big police escort.

Fiona59 · Nov 25, 2004

Good Nurse!!!!

HEARTNRSE05 · Nov 25, 2004

CALL THE POLICE!!!!

Take pictures of your injuries and have extra copies made. Give a copy to the police, administration and keep a couple of copies for yourself, just in case you need to give them to your lawyer. Your nursing instructors should have been standing at your side protecting you not hiding behind administration. I would think long and hard about trying to get a job at that hospital after graduation also. If they treat students ( who they are trying to recruit) that way, I can't imagine how they treat the employees who are already there.

stbernardclub · Nov 25, 2004

bullcrap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! go to the police station and file a battery charge on this animal.Protect yourself, no one else will!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

CCU NRS · Nov 25, 2004

Many people are continuing to post without reading thoroughly, she has already said she has filed.

TracyB,RN, RN · Nov 25, 2004

OOOH,,,, my first thought was F*** that!!!!! Not allowing students to return mid-semester... BULLLLL!

Anyway, I am soooo proud of you as a future fellow nurse. You did the right thing by pressing charges, but no way, no how, would I let that drop. If this pt was A&O x 3 & just jonesing for a narcotic fix... don't care... his behavior & actions were abusive, not to mention criminal.

If you don't stand up for yourself, nobody else will, as already evidenced by the hospital's early statements.

If a pt of yours was a victim of domestic violence, what would you tell that patient of yours to do??Just some food for thought.

As a nurse, you are setting a high standard for all nurses, present & future, that we need to ban together & STOP this piss-poor treatment of nurses, everywhere. We continue to work long hours, frequently without so much as a restroom break...and to now be expected to be physically abused by a patient?!?!? I don't think so.

I would like to make another suggestion... take a self-defense course.... This guy sounds like an addict & as a nurse, you will certainly come across more aggressive patients. When you see a patient becoming agitated, NEVER step closer, always keep your distance, while speaking in a calm, slow tone. AND NEVER NEVER NEVER turn your back to an agitated patient. Slowly, calmly, back away, towards the door, never into a corner, so you can be heard if you ever need to yell for help... Not trying to scare you. I have studied martial arts for the past 12 years, & you will always need to be on your guard, even with those cute little old ladies with dementia..They can also pack a pretty mean hit when agitated enough. Fortunately, I have never had to use any of my self-defense skills, but you never know when they will come in handy.

I would still be on guard with the hospital, though.... don't let them play this off like it was your fault. And if they mess with you, I would not hesitate to write to every local news paper & television station to let them know that they don't care about their employees.

Rock on!!!!

MZachry · Nov 25, 2004

I wouldn't have even thought twice before I decided to press charges. I'm glad you did go through with it, and I think you should see it out to the end. This time a face punch over narcotics, next time a what?

I have had 18 facial surgeries.....I feel sorry for anyone that punches me in the face. They would not only have a record of assault on file, but would probably end up having to pay for a pretty costly surgery if anything gets messed up!!!

NEVER LET ANYONE GET AWAY WITH THIS KIND OF INSULT WHEN WE ARE THERE TO HELP THEM!!!!! :angryfire

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Nov 25, 2004

It does my heart good to hear that someone has stood up for themselves. Heaven knows that when you get 10 years down the road and as jaded as the rest of us you would be kicking yourself for letting the SOB get away with it. :)

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Nov 25, 2004

I agree with those who have suggested that you not stop with just the police report/criminal charge - file a civil suit as well.

SharonH, RN · Nov 25, 2004

We called the police and charged him with assault.

BRAVO!!! :balloons: