Please be gentle maybe I am wrong in assuming this is abuse.
I am currently working at a SNF/Rehab. This is my first nursing job as an LPN.
I have a patient who has dementia and has recently starting mental declining according to other nurses. I haven't been the nurse in 1 month for them. I came in on sunday and was informed they due to have IM Geodon Q4H. When i got report the nurse said they had been refusing the med.
When I went in to the room and offered the med, I tried to convincing but patient stated "I have the right to refuse, i don't want those shots"
This patient recognized me, had conversation with me. Some confusion was evident, but this would be baseline for them.
I documented as refusal. Well supervisor came to me and said they received a text from the administrator (no medical background) stating this patient was "not allowed to refuse" and I HAD TO GIVE IT.
I told the nurse that this patient has the right to refuse, they are not a harm to themselves or others and I would not be holding them down and forcing them this is not a psych facility.
To which response I got "To bad, its a med error if you don't give it, and you can hold them down and give it"
I refused so the supervisor took my keys from me and administered the med while the patient yelled and stated "this is my right to refuse, this is illegal"
Please tell me I wasn't wrong in refusing to give this med. I was absolutely devastated that a fellow nurse would not advocate for this patient when they were doing NOTHING. They got the med and were so sedated they wouldn't even eat or wake up.
Is this not considered a restraint? Abuse? What do I do?
