I saw another nurse assault a patient

Published

A big male nurse grabbed a struggling, intoxicated elder by the throat in front of me and pushed him back on the bed, growling "I told you to f'ing lie down!". I would normally have absolutely have no problem reporting this, except that we are in quasi-competition for the same job. I have little trust that the management will not see my disclosure as anything but self-serving and untrustworthy. The patient himself cannot make a complaint and the co-worker who was with me doesn't want to "borrow trouble". What would you do?

Specializes in ER, ICU/CCU, Open Heart OR Recovery, Etc.

Report it.

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Curiosity called me back to check this thread once again. Thank you to those who had had specific, noninflammatory observations and suggestions. I appreciate the consideration.

Once again, this is a true scenario. I would like to point out that there are a number of places that a nurse can work besides an American hospital or urban care setting. I can disclose little more other than to say that there are no in-house managers and few supports at this very remote site. The other nurse and myself defused the situation immediately and took steps to protect the patient until it was possible to report. The duty to report was never in question, it was how to do so safely and most effectively.

For those of you who inferred that there was hesitation because I was at all worried about spoiling my chances of a promotion - sorry, you very much have the wrong end of the stick. He was being considered for a lateral position to me. It is because of the "quasi-competition" that I feared that I would not be taken seriously due to apparent conflict of interest or that I would be accused of submitting a fabricated report simply to "screw up" the other guy's chances. The latter sure proved to be a valid concern - some of you took it there already...

And for those who were "shaming" the second nurse, did it never occur to you that they were afraid of the male nurse and any possible retaliation? There had just been physical and verbal intimidation and they felt unsafe. Not everyone reacts the same and, while I don't share that particular apprehensiveness, I can understand it. Shades of gray, people.

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Curiosity called me back to check this thread once again. Thank you to those who had had specific, noninflammatory observations and suggestions. I appreciate the consideration.

Once again, this is a true scenario. I would like to point out that there are a number of places that a nurse can work besides an American hospital or urban care setting. I can disclose little more other than to say that there are no in-house managers and few supports at this very remote site. The other nurse and myself defused the situation immediately and took steps to protect the patient until it was possible to report. The duty to report was never in question, it was how to do so safely and most effectively.

For those of you who inferred that there was hesitation because I was at all worried about spoiling my chances of a promotion - sorry, you very much have the wrong end of the stick. He was being considered for a lateral position to me. It is because of the "quasi-competition" that I feared that I would not be taken seriously due to apparent conflict of interest or that I would be accused of submitting a fabricated report simply to "screw up" the other guy's chances. The latter sure proved to be a valid concern - some of you took it there already...

And for those who were "shaming" the second nurse, did it never occur to you that they were afraid of the male nurse and any possible retaliation? There had just been physical and verbal intimidation and they felt unsafe. Not everyone reacts the same and, while I don't share that particular apprehensiveness, I can understand it. Shades of gray, people.

Not here there isn't. You see patient assaulted, you report the other nurse.

Good luck.

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Specializes in Hospice.
Hey, that's really nice. Thank you! :)

You guys need a room?? [emoji8]

Seriously, though, it's refreshing to see an actual dialogue between people who agree on the big picture, even though they disagree on some of the side points.

Bravo!! [emoji122]

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Specializes in MDS/ UR.
A big male nurse grabbed a struggling, intoxicated elder by the throat in front of me and pushed him back on the bed, growling "I told you to f'ing lie down!". I would normally have absolutely have no problem reporting this, except that we are in quasi-competition for the same job. I have little trust that the management will not see my disclosure as anything but self-serving and untrustworthy. The patient himself cannot make a complaint and the co-worker who was with me doesn't want to "borrow trouble". What would you do?

This was your original post.

All this additional information added might have served you better had you relayed it in the first place.

It may have toned done the heat.

If you had to ask, you already know the answer.

I am trying to get past the feeling this is a yank someone's chain thread.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Curiosity called me back to check this thread once again. Thank you to those who had had specific, noninflammatory observations and suggestions. I appreciate the consideration.

Did you see any "don't report that" in there? Seems to me your course of action is pretty clearly stated by now.

I would like to ask one question, though. You stated the old man was "struggling" also implied the big male nurse basically pushed the man back to a recumbent position with his hands around the man's neck for "leverage" so where is the "struggling" part? He continued to put pressure on the man's neck to the point his airway was constricted?

If not, what was he struggling against?

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Patient abuse/elder abuse that is not reported will cost you YOUR LICENSE!!! and it's pretty crappy to worry about your promotion when this guy is abusing patients. Check yourself.

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So, it's your potential job vs elder abuse? I would say the choice is clear.

Hint: not the job

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Specializes in 15 years in ICU, 22 years in PACU.
Patient abuse/elder abuse that is not reported will cost you YOUR LICENSE!!! and it's pretty crappy to worry about your promotion when this guy is abusing patients. Check yourself.

It's crap like this that has exasperated the OP. She NEVER said she was not going to report. She NEVER said it was a promotion she was worried about. It's the jumping on assumptions and misinterpretation that was worrying her and caused her pause. And she was right to be concerned because it happened right here.

And there's your shades of grey people.

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It's crap like this that has exasperated the OP. She NEVER said she was not going to report. She NEVER said it was a promotion she was worried about. It's the jumping on assumptions and misinterpretation that was worrying her and caused her pause. And she was right to be concerned because it happened right here.

And there's your shades of grey people.

thank you Mav., i tried pointing basically the same thing out much earlier, to no avail.

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It's crap like this that has exasperated the OP. She NEVER said she was not going to report. She NEVER said it was a promotion she was worried about. It's the jumping on assumptions and misinterpretation that was worrying her and caused her pause. And she was right to be concerned because it happened right here.

And there's your shades of grey people.

OP asked "what would you do?"

Question answered.

OP didn't like the answers.

Wonder what OP did end up doing?

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Define "struggling".

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