4 days ago,while cleaning the patient I was having an argument with our Nursing Attendant.I just reacted when I heard him telling one of my co-nurse to do the diaper change to two of our patients and he will go to change diaper for my patient.I just told him that,we need to the changing for my patient fast so he could come and help the other staff...but this N/A was noted already to be very arrogant and acting as if he is more knowledgible and more superior to the nurses.So,argument went on,even I told him that we need to stop since we were with the patient but unfortunately he did not.So,when i answered back he was so angry at me and when i was about to go out from the room,he blocked Himself on the door and locked it,then He told me that i can't go out from that room.My instinct told me that this is not anymore a joke,and from the look on his face he really meant it.So,i look for the phone to call for my senior and to tell her that i was held by this N/A in my patient's room and that i was threatened that i can't come out from that room.But,when this N/A seen that i was about to call,He went fast on me and grabbed the phone on my hand at the same time telling me that He will break the phone so I can't make a call.Then,I look for the call bell,but again He grabbed it on my hand and pulled out the cord.He then again told me,that i dont have any means to call for help.I calmed my self and think the best possible way,after a while,I asked him in a nice way to let me go since I need to give medication to my other patients,but again he threatened me that he will not allow me to go.I told him that everything has been witnessed by the patient's escort(Im working in a Private Room for male patients here in Dubai)then,in a sarcastic words,he told me that the escort could not help me since he can't understand english.So ,the story went on....then after few minutes He told me I can go.I went directly to my senior and told her what happened,but since no one from them have witnessed it,she told me she can't solve it.So,i called our Nursing Supervisor and told Him what happened.He,went to our Ward and talked to me and advice me to write a complained address to our Nursing Director,which i did.
Today,I was called by our Unit incharged and have a long talk about it.I told her that if it was only a simple misunderstanding and argument ,I can still tolerate it since sometimes it is part of work,but for me to be threatened and was locked inside the patient room was the most outrageous behavior that i didn't expect to happened inside the workplace.But the sad thing,my In charge inform me and have read to me the letter that this NA had wrote.He wrote that,i didn't even help me,that i told him to clean the patient using the papel towel and above all things,he didnt locked me inside the room.And when they(my In-Charge)asked the escort,this man told that He didnt see this NA locking the room,nor grabbing the phone and the callbell from me,all he saw was that,when I was about to go,he stood on the door.I was really disappointed,though I was expecting it already because I have seen this NA going back to that room and I knew that he will talk to this escort.The problem here was that,I am working in a Muslim country,i know that the story could be twisted since in the first place I am not a Muslim,second,the escort was also a Muslim and not that so educated,third no one from my co-staff who was on duty that time have witnessed it.But I told my In-Charge,no matter what will happened,i will stand and will tell the truth since I was the victim here and if i will not make any complaints against him, he might do something much worst not only to me but to the other staff.
My hope is to wait for our Nursing Director,I am just waiting for the time that I will be called by Her to explain my side.....i just wish they will look on this matter fairly....
Sorry,if I ant a lot. I was just feeling so low now even I know that I am on the right side.
Talk with ex-pats who know Dubai well, whom you can trust. Most of us here only know the USA. Ask them how to be safest, is it better to complain within your place of employment or to file an assault and battery charge? Do you have real legal protection in Dubai, or is it in name only? Don't just talk to other nurses; talk to people who are more respected and maybe less intimidated. (Sorry, I know women who nurse men are not respected in Muslim countries.)
I don't know if you can transfer out of this hospital or out of Dubai or if you're stuck owing thousands of dollars on a contract.
Insist on never being assigned with this man, never on the same floor. Watch your back going to and leaving work, don't travel alone. Be careful of stairwells, elevators, supply rooms. Write down an account of this as you have here, with his name. Leave a copy with your friends and your embassy.
You need to stay far away from him - he is dangerous.
The buck does not have to stop with your job.... what that CNA did was criminal. First he communicated threats(that's a crime). Two he physically "kept" you in a are against your wishes(that's a crime, it's called kidnapping) then he proceded to "snatch" objects from your hands(that's a crime,it's called assault and battery)!!!! Honey skip HR Risk managment, and all the other inhouse mombojumbo, you first need to quit,any job that allows that type of behavior you don't need to work there, next hire youself a good civil lawyer ;action could be brought up against not only the man who did this to you, but your immediate supervisor, the director and anyone else you made aware of this situation whom chose to ignore what was going on. Then after you do that, i would march my little self right on down to the magistrates office and file charges aginst his behind, you could also ask for an injuction which would keep him away from you(restraing order).
The buck does not have to stop with your job.... what that CNA did was criminal. First he communicated threats(that's a crime). Two he physically "kept" you in a are against your wishes(that's a crime, it's called kidnapping) then he proceded to "snatch" objects from your hands(that's a crime,it's called assault and battery)!!!! Honey skip HR Risk managment, and all the other inhouse mombojumbo, you first need to quit,any job that allows that type of behavior you don't need to work there, next hire youself a good civil lawyer ;action could be brought up against not only the man who did this to you, but your immediate supervisor, the director and anyone else you made aware of this situation whom chose to ignore what was going on. Then after you do that, i would march my little self right on down to the magistrates office and file charges aginst his behind, you could also ask for an injuction which would keep him away from you(restraing order).
Remerber that the OP is working in Dubai and the culture is much different as well as the laws. She may not even have much protection. She still should be able to report this, but I have no idea what the laws are like in Dubai. Being that this person is in a foreign country she has to abide by their culture and their rules. I hope that the OP will not be assigned to work with him if she complains, but that can also work against her due to the culture in that country.
OP I would caution you to watch your back around this guy. If you are working and he is on your floor never let yourself be alone with him. He is VERY dangerous. Always travel with a fellow female. Watch yourself in stairwells, supply rooms, parking garages, etc. I do hope there is something that can be done for you. Deffinately report this to the embassy. Ask to be assigned elsewhere if this is a staffing agency your work for. Explain what happened.
This is the mostridiculous thing I have ever heard happen in a place of employment. This guy obviously has no control over his temper and I dare to say, doesn't like women in charge. That would have been my last night. People who don't have control over there temper and emotions are capable of anything.
The OP is in Dubai, part of the United Arab Emirates. I've never been there, but from what I've seen and read the women in Dubai enjoy more freedoms than those in Saudi Arabia. That doesn't say much when you compare Dubai women's rights to those of women in the west.
Her story may sound a bit disjointed, but all the information is there. She got in an argument with a male nursing assistant. In the course of that argument he locked her in a patient's room. When she tried to use the phone to call for help, he took it from her. When she tried to use the call button, he ripped it out of the wall. He kept her in the room for a short time and then released her. She has reported this to her higher ups, but they are taking the man's (the nursing assistant's) side of the story over hers. She thought an escort (another male) witnessed the incident, but apparently he either did not, or will not attest to it.
Much of the advice given in this thread assumes the OP lives in the US, or at least, has the same legal protections we enjoy in this country and take for granted. I have no advice because I have no idea what recourse she has when it comes to accusing a man with no witnesses to back her up. I only want to send my love to her as a woman, to pray for her safety and for the safety of all women the world over.
So many of us are still being repressed, oppressed, aborted, maimed and murdered on this planet simply because we are female. This post just reminded me how lucky I am to have been born where I was born. I can't imagine living in the many parts of the world where a woman is still treated as less than nothing - or nothing more than property. Nor can I imagine living in a place where a woman can be temporarily imprisoned by a coworker and have nowhere to turn for help or advice but an Internet message board.
The problem here was that,I am working in a Muslim country,i know that the story could be twisted since in the first place I am not a Muslim,second,the escort was also a Muslim and not that so educated,third no one from my co-staff who was on duty that time have witnessed it.([/i]
Yes - this is the root of the problem - although the problem is not really Islam, rather it is a cultural one. You are a foreigner and a woman living in a male dominated culture. This places you at risk for situations like this and I feel very bad that this has happened to you.
Is there any way you can leave this job? If so, I would. From what you have said it sounds like the hospital is not interested in helping you. It is sad and I am sure very frustrating, but that is what the situation is. If you cannot leave I would talk to some of the other women in the expat community as another poster suggested. I don't know what else to suggest - perhaps you might to write a letter to the local consul from your home country explaining your concers over your safety.
But I would find another job is you can.
As another poster noted this type of situation is not uncommon for women living in arab countries. Things are even worse for foreign women working as domestic labor in the arab world.
Thank you for sharing your story. I am sure things must be very difficult and frightening for you right now. Please do what you can to keep yourself safe. Know that you are not alone in this - I for one wish you well and will keep you in my prayers and I know many others in the allnurses community will do the same.
Her story may sound a bit disjointed, but all the information is there. ...
Nor can I imagine living in a place where a woman can be temporarily imprisoned by a coworker and have nowhere to turn for help or advice but an Internet message board.
This male reader agrees entirely! Women face the horrors you outlined every day all over the world. Women and men must stand together against this. Common decency demands that we do.
Yes, this woman's story is disjointed but for goodness sake English is probably not her first language.
Her story is not unusual for women working in the Arab world - especially women from the Philippines and South Asia. Women working as domestic help are regularily beaten, raped, and starved - they have no legal recourse. The OP's status as a much needed professional in the region probably affords her a greater degree of safety but clearly not enough.
The OP needs the all the moral support we can offer right now - not critisim of her writing skills.
This male reader agrees entirely! Women face the horrors you outlined every day all over the world. Women and men must stand together against this. Common decency demands that we do.
Yes, this woman's story is disjointed but for goodness sake English is probably not her first language.
Her story is not unusual for women working in the Arab world - especially women from the Philippines and South Asia. Women working as domestic help are regularily beaten, raped, and starved - they have no legal recourse. The OP's status as a much needed professional in the region probably affords her a greater degree of safety but clearly not enough.
The OP needs the all the moral support we can offer right now - not critisim of her writing skills.
birdgardner
333 Posts
Talk with ex-pats who know Dubai well, whom you can trust. Most of us here only know the USA. Ask them how to be safest, is it better to complain within your place of employment or to file an assault and battery charge? Do you have real legal protection in Dubai, or is it in name only? Don't just talk to other nurses; talk to people who are more respected and maybe less intimidated. (Sorry, I know women who nurse men are not respected in Muslim countries.)
I don't know if you can transfer out of this hospital or out of Dubai or if you're stuck owing thousands of dollars on a contract.
Insist on never being assigned with this man, never on the same floor. Watch your back going to and leaving work, don't travel alone. Be careful of stairwells, elevators, supply rooms. Write down an account of this as you have here, with his name. Leave a copy with your friends and your embassy.
You need to stay far away from him - he is dangerous.