Hi. I am a second year nursing student who is working as a sitter for the hospital while I finish school.
The last several patients I have sat with have been aggressive and threatening...which I tend to see anyway. I'm used to being slapped at, kicked at, and spit on. But last night takes the cake.
While having a conversation with my patient he all of sudden picks up the bedside phone and preceded to hit me over the head 15 or 20 times until i was on the floor.
It took the nursing staff almost five minutes to get him off of me and get me safely out of the room.
I later found out that this wasn't his first violent episode. WHY WASN'T HE RESTRAINED, OR AT LEAST THEY COULD HAVE WARNED ME. I was told he was a sweet little man and he wouldn't give me any problem. Yet I end up in the ER with a mild concussion and several cuts and bruises.
Has anyone else had similar experiences with patients and how did you handle it?
You must take care of yourself- the place where you are working certainly will not, it seems. Do not risk yourself for any facility! I tell you this, as I was thrown against a wall by a 500# patient, and broke my neck. I have not worked in almost 8 years. If I had refused this patient, I would have been fired, I'm sure. I would still have a neck, though. Be safe. Do NOT let them try to give you any cr_p with Work Comp- they will only tell you what they can get away with. If you have problems phsically don't take a half ass_d answer to your care.
Specializes in Dialysis, Nephrology & Cosmetic Surgery.
Quite often when we ask for a special (I think this is the same as a sitter) we would get a young girl who was no match for some of our patients. If I think a patient will be too much of a handful for a nurse or healthcare assistant I now ask our security dept to provide cover and pay them overtime. I know it sounds a bit extreme but they are usually big blokes and are trained in control and restraint. It works a treat - your managers may want to consider this tactic for the particularly aggresive patients.
Specializes in ER, Occupational Health, Cardiology.
Hasn't anyone ever explained to you why you are sitting with your patients? Don't you get a brief report of why they need a sitter? When I was a floor charge nurse, those pts were usually demented, suicidal, alcoholic (possible impending DTs), elderly, CVAs, or just about any combination of any or all of these. None of them are considered by nurses to be easy diagnoses to handle-that is why you are there. To be the eyes and ears for them and to alert them when something goes wrong.
Before you take another assignment you have the right to know what the working diagnosis is, and why it is you have been asked to sit with the pt. I would also ask what to watch for, so you might be able to catch a difficult event before it gets out of hand. Do not EVER attempt to handle a difficult situation by yourself. Keep the call bell wher eyou and the pt can both get at it easily, and use it. If not, shout "help." That will get half the floor in there on the run, so don't use that word if you aren't really in a tight spot.
That is horrible! I really hope the hospital and not you has to pay for the ER visit. I think you might want to talk to risk managment or someone who can prevent this from happening again.
I've never been a sitter, but I've been assaulted more times than I can count in LTC. Those little old folks with Alzheimer's can really pack a punch.
At least when you are working with the lil' ol' folks with Alzheimer's you have a bit of a notice that there is potential for violent behavior. It sounds like the orginal poster had absolutely no clue that this patient had this kind of potential.
Definately get some legal counseling on what you can do and who all should be accountable (hospital, state, etc). I know in my state the restraints policies are so strict. If a patients states they will behave and not run we have to remove restraints per policy, regardless of prior experiences. How often has an ETOH or baker act told us that lie? I have seen countless patients bite, kick, scratch, spit and often run naked out of the ER after saying they would rest quietly.
We have to hold the policy makers responsible for putting us at risk!! The people that decide what is safe are not the ones dealing with the situations that put us at risk, so get them where it hurts...their wallet! If this happened to a hospital CEO, you can bet it would not be tolerated.
ilmbg
140 Posts
You must take care of yourself- the place where you are working certainly will not, it seems. Do not risk yourself for any facility! I tell you this, as I was thrown against a wall by a 500# patient, and broke my neck. I have not worked in almost 8 years. If I had refused this patient, I would have been fired, I'm sure. I would still have a neck, though. Be safe. Do NOT let them try to give you any cr_p with Work Comp- they will only tell you what they can get away with. If you have problems phsically don't take a half ass_d answer to your care.