I saw another nurse assault a patient

[morman]

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?

[kungpoopanda]

I just wanted to point out that recent studies have shown that children from strongly religious families -- either Christian or Muslim -- are LESS likely to be altruistic than children from families who don't identify as religious.

Doing the right thing has very little to do with a faith system. And while your faith system may be very important to you, please keep it out of threads that aren't on the religion forum.

The "studies" to which you refer was ONE study and we don't know how rigorous that study was.

Further, she can state her opinion as anyone else can. She doesn't have to confine it to the religion forum as it is a by the bye comment, not a discussion of religion.

[nursel56]

Ah, that is the rub. I truly think that any report I make will be discredited as nothing more than sour grapes, and will henceforth be labelled a trouble-maker. Perhaps the anonymous route would better, then I could just volunteer as a witness. Seems devious though...

Before I disengage from all of you, let me reiterate that I have never said that I was NOT reporting - that is not an option for me nor has it ever been. Reread my comments!

What I was relating was the honest trepidation that I had in disclosing the incident from a position of weakness and how it may ultimately impact other "whistle blowers" in the future if no action was taken in this case. How was the best way to handle the situation? I've looked after the patient's well-being but am I expected to be oblivious to my own?

I created this account because I was looking for dialogue with my peers in a safe, anonymous setting. So the fact that the great majority of you are saying that I am fake and/or unethical, well, shame on you. That simplistic, hasty, censorious mob mentality is EXACTLY what I am concerned may happen to any reporting party - the "snitch" - whether it's myself or those who come after me.

So thank you, I guess, for the foreshadowing taste of things to come. Carry on...

Well, do let us know how that anonymous report goes, so that in the future, for the good of the profession (because many more people read these threads than post things to them) you can overcome your fear of the mob and that "seeming devious" for volunteering to be a witness, and the totalitarian monolith of retribution that is your employer, and share your story of what happened to the big male nurse, and your job.

There are many ways to teach others, and modeling or example is so high on that list, it could be edifying for lots of readers, although we can't speculate as to how that might play out just yet.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Before I disengage from all of you, let me reiterate that I have never said that I was NOT reporting - that is not an option for me nor has it ever been. Reread my comments!

What I was relating was the honest trepidation that I had in disclosing the incident from a position of weakness and how it may ultimately impact other "whistle blowers" in the future if no action was taken in this case. How was the best way to handle the situation? I've looked after the patient's well-being but am I expected to be oblivious to my own?

I created this account because I was looking for dialogue with my peers in a safe, anonymous setting. So the fact that the great majority of you are saying that I am fake and/or unethical, well, shame on you. That simplistic, hasty, censorious mob mentality is EXACTLY what I am concerned may happen to any reporting party - the "snitch" - whether it's myself or those who come after me.

So thank you, I guess, for the foreshadowing taste of things to come. Carry on...

If you created this account just for this dialogue, it seems that you are fake. And even the questions about reporting leaves doubt about your ethics. But carry on.

[dec2007]

A similar situation happened on our unit. A closed head injury patient was thrashing and fighting, didn't understand where he was, etc. An experienced RN grabbed him in a private region and twisted, screaming at him to be still. A nurse from a different unit heard, came over to see the ruckus, and immediately called an administrator (at home, at night, no less). The nurse was fired and lost her license, but six months later was reinstated after a "med adjustment". She still thinks she acted appropriately, and speaks sarcastically of the person who reported her and the administrator who called the BON. I was shocked she got her license back so quickly.

[Alex Egan, LPN, EMT-B]

Sounds like the reporting was handled correctly in your case. If abuse is whitenessed than it should be stopped right then. I was discussing this thread with my wife and she immediately jumped to Mike McQueary in the recent Penn State scandal he thought there was abuse happening didn't act to stop it at the time, was wishy washy with the reporting and then changes the story a few times. He did get a job though.

[smartnurse1982]

I have a question for everyone.

Say the OP reports the abuse,and also says Witness 2 also saw it.

What happens if Witness 2 denies it?

[RJMerchant]

In my previous setting, my director used to throw the anonymous reports in the trash bin!!

[Wrench Party]

REPORT IT.This is way less about CYA, and more about the ethics of patient care. Would you want your elderly father, brother, grandfather, brother, etc. to be treated this way? Would you want any human being to be treated this way?

The fact you're thinking this will bite you in the rear for a promotion shouldn't even be on your mind.

[ixchel]

I have a question for everyone.

Say the OP reports the abuse,and also says Witness 2 also saw it.

What happens if Witness 2 denies it?

Then witness 2 is an a hole who needs reporting to the BON. I'd be hoping at that time that the patient remembers what happened.

[greenerpastures]

I always think of it this way; What if that was my family member and someone saw something and DIDN'T say something, how would I feel?

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Here are my reasons for thinking this is someone's homework (I stand by my first impression):

First and only posts by OP

The ethical nuances that are backpedaled later in the story

The second witness- who is never heard from again after their brief mention in the opening post.

'Quasi' competition for another job/ promotion - how convenient!

We are terrible people for questioning the OP and his/ her motives and actions

[enchantmentdis, BSN, RN]

You are a mandated reporter. Period.