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.
Specializes in OB, critical care, hospice, farm/industr.
Good for you! We nurses have the same right as anyone else to be safe and unharmed. I was punched over Thanksgiving and wrote it up. You never know how the injury will turn out; the paper trail is there to save you.
In 1994 I was hurt badly by a pt and didn't know it until 72 hours later. (torn rotator cuff) I was off work for 14 months and had major surgery. Then the complications from surgery and a previously unknown severe allergy to meds kept me out another 5 months. If I hadn't written up a seemingly "nothing" incident, workman's comp would not have paid my salary for those 19 months.
Get on the phone girl, we have a policy at our workplace ( even posted) Abuse will not be tolerated to staff or patients. We all know it is a bunch of garbage. About 6 weeks ago I got assaulted by a drunk 18 y/o in my E.R. The police were ever there, we had to physically and chemically restrain her with leg restraints and handcuffs, a little haldol helps too. She calmed down, or so we thought and released her. BIG MISTAKE!!! She was on her stomach and after we released her she flipped over and started kicking and screaming. I got a kick to the chest and the LPN got one to the jaw. Cops were with us and we filled out reports the next night. Stupidly sent one to our unit manager and she talked to one of the higher ups, who told her (manager),we had no right to restrain her. Where is the justice, my chest actually hurt for about 48 hour after, but hey, suck it up your a nurse. Sometime I think it would be better to be a waitress, you don't have to serve them when the are drunk and you have bouncers to kick them out and y;ou definitely make better tips.
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.
Yahoo!! Bravo for u pal!! If that little old nasty p.o.s. has not learnt his lesson, i swear he will try his luck again.. At least, him being seen w/ a big police escort wld serve as a warning to other patients and their families, relatives or visitors that physical assault is not tolerated by us health care workers..Then let 'em spread d news...
Keep in mind, ur not suppose to feel guilty at all. Get on w/ it and be a hero for us.. Look at you, you are not even a fully qualified RN yet you can prove your worth. You are a living eye opener for the martyrs. You take care of urself and follow the suggestions made by one of the members here about handling aggressive pts... And to that hosp. administration who are too scared themselves getting punched, --- ha!!! C them at the court. Oh boy, cant imagine you telling them, 'dun talk to me..talk to my lawyer"... :angryfire
I'm so glad you filed charges and hope you pursue a civil case as well for damages.
(I don't know the laws in Canada but I sure would see an atorney in the US for this) Feel better soon sweetie and I'm so sorry one of our young nurses had to endure being treated so badly ...while they're still in training yet
Enjoy your holiday with your friends and family and please let us know how this turns out. Hugs to you.
Getting some films is a very good idea. My cheekbone fracture wasn't found until I had dental panorex taken before a root canal. Yep there it was a depression, calus formed and all. I didn't take it to civil court, but I wish I had. I can still see that man's foot coming toward my face.....
Follow this up all the way please.
OMG!! My oh my... poor you..did it happen to u years ago? im not very good w/ legal matters but may i ask, is it really too late for you to file a case? Bec. i remember when i was working in Singapore a patient sued our hospital after about 8 years only when he claimed that his disablity was due to his accidental fall while confined in the ward.. jus wondrin.. was ur offender a competent pt?
sorry for making u reminisce but am jus aghast.. HUH!!
i do really hope ur ok and ur fx was really sorted.. of all the places..in ur cheekbone..dear me..
next step is to file obstruction charges against that hospital administer!!! how dare s/he tell you that you & your fellow classmates would be in danger of not completing your clinicals there! i'd definitely would see this matter to the end! i'd file charges against that a*sehole, but i'd sue the hospital as well for a)having such a idiot represent them & b) if they stood behind what they'd said!!!
i'm happy that your instructor, & more importantly, your school is backing you 100%!!! someone here mentioned that your school & that hospital has entered a legal agreement/contract which will allow the students to perform their clinicals there ~ i totally agree. it would be insane for the hospital to turn away perfectly innocent students from learning their future professions based on any incidence involving assault/battery/abuse place upon said student(s) from their competent patient(s). in fact, i've actually seen incidences of medication errors occurring by students & the most that ever happened is *that* student being remove & then place on notice....not the rest of the classmates. i've also seen a hippa beach occur with a student looking into their grandfather's chart at a mental/behavior facility. this individual was removed from the premises & the rest of us were allowed to finish our rotation there. for the administer to simply apply false statements such as they did is completely irresponsible at best & criminal at worst :angryfire.
good luck to you & please do see this to the end!!!!
Do something... all of these other nurses have great suggestions...
I was assulted once and didn't do anything because I thought that I had no power because i was a nursing student. Boy was I wrong....I really wish I had done something....
Still Riding, have you gotten back on the horse so to speak...sorry i couldn't resist are you all healed up and back to work/school?
Well the week i got off I did go riding, and i had a blast. I went home and chilled with friends and family and did all the things I love to do (riding mostly). I think the time they gave me off was to sit and heal, but i decided it was a week off and I was going to have fun and do what i wanted to do.
But Guess that is not your question, Yes i went back to clinical, I only had 2 rotations at that facility left for the semester. I was still looking a little ruff, but i was there and did my job. I'm not afraid, just more careful. I'm mostly done the semester and will be returning home for x-mas in 2 weeks after exams. My face is still slightly bruised but that should be gone in a couple days.
Thanx for your support everyone, and I'm still considering all my options and what is best for me in the end.
SR
edited for a few spelling problems, but i'm sure their are still many
Wel the week i got off I did go riding, and i had a blast. I went home and chilled with friends and family and did all the things I love to do (riding mostly). I htink the time they gave me off was to sit and heal, but i decided it was a week of and I was going to have fun and do what i wanted to do.
But Guess that is not your question, Yes i went back to clinical, I only had 2 rotations at that facility left for the semester. I was still looking a little ruff, but i was there and did my job. I'm not afraid, just more careful. I'm mostly done the semester and will be returning home for x-mas in 2 weeks after exams. My face is still slightly bruised but that should be gone in a couple days.
Thanx for your support everyone, and I'm still considering all my options and what is best for me in the end.
Maybe that Hospital Administrator needs to be put in charge of care for that patient. Always easy to tell someone else to "forget about it" unless you are their shoes...
Wow! I never knew it could get this serious. I'm going to be careful on my clinicals from now on!
TDub, MSN, EdD
227 Posts
Good for you! We nurses have the same right as anyone else to be safe and unharmed. I was punched over Thanksgiving and wrote it up. You never know how the injury will turn out; the paper trail is there to save you.
In 1994 I was hurt badly by a pt and didn't know it until 72 hours later. (torn rotator cuff) I was off work for 14 months and had major surgery. Then the complications from surgery and a previously unknown severe allergy to meds kept me out another 5 months. If I hadn't written up a seemingly "nothing" incident, workman's comp would not have paid my salary for those 19 months.