It happened here, RA killed by patient

[Mama Val, ASN, RN]

This week a mental health client got into a disagreement with a Residental Aide. It ended with him chasing her out of the building into the parking lot beating her down, slitting her throat and then stabbing her multiple times.

She was on the night shift, alone, by herself with at least 6 mental health clients. Now this man has past convictions of violent acts with a knife. How can any administration justify this staffing.

I work at the Detox Unit here in town and I work alone with 10-12 clients who are comming off drugs and/or alcohol and 1/2 of them have a psych history also.

No relief.

No security.

No cameras or a video tape so they can catch my assault on tape if it happens.

They are started back on their psych meds as soon as they are sober for us, never mind that they have been non-compliant for months prior and they will be again when they leave here. What a yo-yo effect that must have on a serotonin level.

I have told my boss how dangerous this place is, can get but she doesn't get it. She tells me "this is not the jail" (my other job). I feel safer there. I can count on one hand with fingers left over how many times I have seen her work the floor.

I just wonder what the $ number is that will make the admin people figure out that its more cost effective to put in a security system or hire another warm body than to pay off a family and their legal fee for a death.

After all its obvious its all about how much money they will have to spend, not about the lives that will change because of it.

Do any of you work in a Detox Unit and how do you operate. Does this sound to far fetched or am I really making to much out of this.

I do not know the woman that was killed but my heart and prayers go out to her and her family. Her husband had just returned from Iraq 2 months ago. So sad in so many ways.

[Ophelia78]

That's dreadful!

I myself have worked in scary situations like this before I was a nurse. The first one I was a supervisor for a program working with MR/DD population. High turnover rate. I had to cover shifts that couldn't be covered otherwise. We had one man who was also a pedophile, always on the prowl, who would sleep all day and walk the streets at night. The rule was the staff would follow him through the streets or to his best friend's house, who was a mental health consumer off his meds. I followed him to his friend's house one night and they were in high form, "You want to **** her don't you, hehehe" They were moving towards me and I was backed into a corner. At that moment, the friends's mother walked in the front door and undoubtedly saved me from being raped. I quit that job without notice.

The next place was a group home for 5 men with MR/DD, 3 of whom had psych issues. One was a previous sexual offender with a history of stalking, stealing panties off women in the mall (don't ask me how!), and holding down a woman as another man raped her. His history was not disclosed. I learned about it 3 weeks later when he was arrested for forcibly fondling a woman at a store and spent the rest of my time there in jail (thank God!).

Another man had Intermittant Explosive Disorder and had a history of biting (nearly severed someone's finger-also not disclosed!), and butting his head against the wall so that he had a permanent open wound on his forehead. Anytime he went off, the staff member was blamed. no attempts at a behavior plan, or to address safety concerns. I was often left alone with these guys. A (scary) year later, this resident attacked a coworker, biting her thumb and breaking every bone in it. He had terrible oral hygiene (mentioning a toothbrush resulted in a head-banging episode). She developed an infection. He had bitten another worker a few weeks prior as well. I went through everyone above me to develop a safety plan for staff and this resident (worried about head-banging leading to a skull fracture). They blew it off. I made an anonymous tip to OSHA and they received 13 violations. My coworker sued.

The last place was in mental health. Those of us who did outreach were well supported, but the group home aides were often understaffed. A female aide was left alone for a shift, and a male resident raped her. They changed staffing rules after that, but it's a shame someone had to suffer first....

I've found that group living programs are often so poorly funded and organized, many of them are dreadful hellholes for both residents and staff.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I am so sorry for your loss - do you actually live at the North Pole? I would commute to Fairbanks for a better job.

[indigo girl]

If you are working in an unsafe environment, leave! Nothing is more important than your safety. I know that jobs may be hard to come by, but if you are dead, you won't need to worry about the rent. Seriously, if your situation is not safe, and you have reported this with no change, get out while you can before something happens. You have to take care of you. ALWAYS listen to your instincts about your safety. If your gut tells you it is not safe, then it isn't.

[muffie, RN]

omg!!!

[caliotter3]

Not surprised that this happened. Also expect that administrative concern goes no further than how to keep themselves out of any negative consequences.

[Epona]

That is TERRIBLE Mama Val. Just terrible. My hat is off to you. I could not handle that type of job. Wow. You must be one strong person. Wow.

[CHATSDALE]

there but for the grace of God go i

so glad i am out of there, bless the ones left behind

[Levin]

On the facts I've seen, if I was you, I would quit.

She's right you know it's not a prison, it's a disaster waiting to happen again and again.

My sympathies to the dead woman and her family.

Regards,

Levin

[cappuccino]

wow that's scary . it sounds like hiring security officers would be a really good idea....

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

Sounds like a good reason to leave that job. If your admin doesn't get it now, she never will and you should not be the victim of her mistake.

Best of luck to you in finding something safer.

[chadash]

Yeppers, leave it.