The time is 1:20 am, and I can't sleep. I am bothered by what I did with my patient's condom catheter.
At first, I did what a good nurse should; I explained the need for the procedure, made the patient comfortable, cleaned and dried the genitalia, changed the condom catheter (etc). Everything went fine.
After 30 minutes, the patient called because he " accidentally" pulled off the c.cath. So I taped the sheath back into place, tightened it a little, and reminded him to care for it. But the thing was that he kept calling for the same concern over and over. He won't let anybody but me to do what has to be done. On the 4th time within just an hour that he called for a nurse, I sent the Nursing assistant to check on him; and there he was caught removing the velcro tape. Still he insisted on requesting for me to put the thing back.
I knew I am patient and considerate, but that time my shift was to end in an hour and I still have a lot of documentations to do.
Even so, I went to this patient and said in a very professional manner that he's being manipulative and I won't tolerate it. He smiled and said that I should be enjoying each time I get to hold his genital instead of complaining because it is my job to give "pleasure" to my patients. I felt insulted, really, that I taped his pubic hair to the sheath. He did not buzz anymore.
I know it will be really painful each time he attempts to pull off his condom catheter.
I endorsed it to the in-coming nurse though.
I cannot rationalize for what I did. I feel guilty.
Do you also do things like this with patients who in all means are suppose to be understood and cared for by their nurse?
I'd report him to your CN and let his doctor know as well. His actions are harassment and a total waste of nursing resources. If he keeps pulling it off the doc should tell him a foley will be ordered. Period.
There's weighing diapers, a pain in the butt at an adult hospital where diaper scales are hard to come by, but better than letting a perv manipulate you. (And at least might come in useful as a threat to leave the condom cath on.)
Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.
Did I mention that's one part of nursing I hate? There is no excuse for sexual harassment. Lucky for him he didn't have a gender change from ME (were it me) right there and then. There wouldn't be a need to for a condom cath anymore.
Probably not. Seems like he knows what gives him pleasure. Take it for what it was- sexual harrassment. Should be reported to manager and some male should go in and read him the riot act. We happen to have a male director of nursing which works out perfectly.
i too, was wondering if behavior was residual s/p cva...
esp since pleasure and disinhibition are both brain stem responses.
it 'sounds' like harrassment, but we just don't have enough data to say one way or the other.
but i agree that doc and nursing supervisor need to be alerted.
i too, was wondering if behavior was residual s/p cva...
esp since pleasure and disinhibition are both brain stem responses.
it 'sounds' like harrassment, but we just don't have enough data to say one way or the other.
but i agree that doc and nursing supervisor need to be alerted.
leslie
...and those with right sided CVA tend to be more impulsive....could be that he was already someone with issues related to sexual behavior, but the residual deficites r/t right sided CVA could affect his "filter", making him more likely to behave according to his impulses. Also, as nurses, we all know that feelings of helplessness r/t sudden loss of control do cause people to act out in ways designed to make them feel like they have some semblance of control...manipulating others, for instance....
First off, thanks for the laugh! At first I thought possibly a CVA effect. However, if so, why refuse everyone else? That's the part that makes me think he has some "hinkie feelings for ya"
Don't beat yourself up. I'm sure you've taped up an IV with hair before. Did you lose sleep over that? Some people pay extra for "waxing"
Thanks again for the laugh. You are a very patient, caring nurse!!!
...and those with right sided CVA tend to be more impulsive....could be that he was already someone with issues related to sexual behavior, but the residual deficites r/t right sided CVA could affect his "filter", making him more likely to behave according to his impulses. Also, as nurses, we all know that feelings of helplessness r/t sudden loss of control do cause people to act out in ways designed to make them feel like they have some semblance of control...manipulating others, for instance....
Sure, but just because the behavior may have an organic component doesn't mean that he should get away with it. He obviously has some control over the behavior, he didn't start this until he had the pretty nurse of his choosing. And he stopped once there was more pain to pulling it off than there was fun in having the nurse replace it. Limits have to be set, and sometimes it takes creativity to set those limits, the OP did a good job in finding that creative way.
I'll put up with a lot of abuse at work. And when I worked at the nursing home, I'd give you privacy to take care of whatever you might want to take care of. But I absolutely will NOT be used for anyone's sexual gratification at work. (Yep hawthoRNe, not even for the GIs back from Iraq.) If I wanted to do that for a living, I'd move to Nevada.
Specializes in psychiatric nursing, med/surg adult care.
First off, thanks for the laugh! At first I thought possibly a CVA effect. However, if so, why refuse everyone else? That's the part that makes me think he has some "hinkie feelings for ya"
Don't beat yourself up. I'm sure you've taped up an IV with hair before. Did you lose sleep over that? Some people pay extra for "waxing"
Thanks again for the laugh. You are a very patient, caring nurse!!!
Hmm...yes, but not with the intention of like "punishing" my patient for being a pervert or rude. Besides here in the south-east part of Asia, men are not as hairy. Where I work, we put mittens (quite similar to a pot holder) to irritable, disoriented patients who keep pulling off their IV lines, if not restrain the other arm; with doctor's order of course.
This particular CVA patient I was talking about, is endorsed as somewhat "special" because he is his attending MD's uncle.
Sure, but just because the behavior may have an organic component doesn't mean that he should get away with it. He obviously has some control over the behavior, he didn't start this until he had the pretty nurse of his choosing. And he stopped once there was more pain to pulling it off than there was fun in having the nurse replace it. Limits have to be set, and sometimes it takes creativity to set those limits, the OP did a good job in finding that creative way.
I'll put up with a lot of abuse at work. And when I worked at the nursing home, I'd give you privacy to take care of whatever you might want to take care of. But I absolutely will NOT be used for anyone's sexual gratification at work. (Yep hawthoRNe, not even for the GIs back from Iraq.) If I wanted to do that for a living, I'd move to Nevada.
I don't think I ever endorsed "letting him get away with it". But for me, it helps a little bit to be able to detach from it by thinking about it clinically, instead of taking it personally. At the same time, sometimes these behaviors do have an organic component, and sometimes the patient is just a jerk.
I had a goo laugh. Yeah we should all look at it clinically but at the end of the day if it stops him harassing nursing staff (who are not likely to be looked after by management) then all I can say is well done!
)
Batman24
1,975 Posts
I'd report him to your CN and let his doctor know as well. His actions are harassment and a total waste of nursing resources. If he keeps pulling it off the doc should tell him a foley will be ordered. Period.