Is this harassment by a family member?

[Sea_shell]

I am a CNA. I have been a CNA for a few years now and have just started working at this Skilled Nursing facility. A few days ago we recieved a patient who had knee surgery and happens to be the grandmother of one of the people who works in the kitchen. They have already created many complaints over the CNAs , nurses and staff for everything. Today I walked by an area that I wasn't working in to help answer lights. A bathroom light was on , so I went in to help out. This room has three beds and three residents in it. The patient who had knee surgery was near the front door , and her roommate was in the restroom on a shower chair who uses a stand-up lift to get up. The patient who had knee surgery had one out of many of her grand-daughters there in the room and I asked her grand daughter politely if she could step out just for two minutes so I can bring out this patient and use the lift. (For privacy.) The grand-daughter went outside and I figured she heard me so I said thank you and closed the door. I bring out the lady from the restroom who has no pants on, and the granddaughter opened the door without knocking and walked inside and stood there. My patient , who could be seen from anyone who walked down the hallway, covered her private area and said "they will see me." I turned around and asked for her to please step out just for a second for privacy, and she yelled at me saying , "My grandma lives in here. I can be where I want." I reported this to my supervisor and she said she would speak with the family. One hour later as I am working in my area down the hallway, the granddaughter stood outside and stared at me from far away as I walked around. As I walked down the hallway closer to her and passed her, she continued to give me a look like I would expect in a bad neighborhood in the streets (the only way I can describe it) and would not take her eyes off of me. She did not stop watching me this way for 15 minutes. She glared at me as I walked around, as I sat down, when I went to say hi to residents. I was very near her and was speaking to people and It got to the point where I could not take it anymore. I finally just looked back , smiled and said hello. She did not respond and continued to give me a look, looking me up and down like she was going to hurt me. I have never felt so threatened by a family member and I do not know what to do or even report what happened because I don't know if it is considered harassment? Has anyone experienced this?

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

I'd consider it intimidation, but either way it's not something a family member should be allowed to do to an employee.

If it were a co-worker I'd engage, but you really can't with a family member. So reporting to management is all you can do.

I'd hope that management would then observe and "protect" as necessary.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

Avoid this person at all cost. In fact, pray for divine protection. She sounds like a gang member, like a street animal. I suppose you could try talking to her and explaining why you asked her to step out, but this could backfire and make her even angrier. Have a witness, like your boss, not just another staff member.

I am aghast at the naivete expressed by those who advise reporting to managers and expecting them to protect the OP. If anything, this will get her in trouble.

Never volunteer.

Find a new job. I am serious.

Make a police report.

Never volunteer.

Always put pants on your patients when working around vicious thugs.

Never volunteer.

Blaming nurses is so completely wrong. They sensibly would fear for their lives re: this menacing dirtbag.

What is Management's response to all of the complaints from this family?

[Cola89]

Gross. Continue to report her to your supervisors and managers. You shouldn't be made to feel uncomfortable at your job. This includes non-verbal communication. Since this family member actually works at the facility, she could be into some trouble for acting this way.

[NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN]

What a creepy story. How supportive has your management team been toward employees with issues with other crazy family members? If they haven't resolved the issues or didn't side with the employee (if the employee was in the right), then I probably wouldn't hope for too much luck in them helping out with the thug daughter (or grand-daughter, can't remember what she was at this point).

To be on the safe side, I'd consider filing a police report just to have it on record. The woman may just be creepy but if she's unstable it would be good to have something on record already just in case things escalate (hopefully not necessary).

When you come in during the morning and when you leave in the evening, make sure that you are not in the parking lot alone, at least while this resident is still residing in the building.

Sorry you're dealing with this. You were right to try to protect the room mate's privacy.

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

Situations like this have happened in the past, While you have nothing to apologize for I always find it best to seek out the family member as say something - like "We seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot. I am sure you would want your loved one's Privacy protected if the situation were different. Still the whole situation might never have happened if you just pulled the privacy curtain and let the granddaughter stay in the room.

Hppy

[ProgressiveActivist, BSN, RN]

#1 objective: Don't get shot.