Had a busy day on the floor and lost my temper with a difficult (mean to staff) patient. Anyhow, I swore at patient (not a major verbal tirade ... instead, a two line sentence with an explicitive).
Another nurse immediately relieved me (per manager) for the shift.
Yes, I was wrong and accept responsibility for my actions. I have been asked to take some time off from the hospital pending a disciplinary decision on their part.
My question to the allnurses board. Is this a reportable offense to the BON? If so, what kind of discipline can I expect from them? Will I loose my license?
I've been a nurse for three years now and this is the first time I have ever lost my temper like this. Yes, I am extremely distraught over this, and have sought professional (mental) counseling.
Has anyone out there experienced this same scenario?
If they do take it to the board, the fact that you are getting professional help looks awesome. Do not be so hard on yourself, We are human!!! This could be any of us!!
It can happen to anyone. Abuse goes both directions, and we must work to eliminate its' presence. Don't lose heart. Sometimes we absorb a little too much in our surroundings and unhealthy feelings well up the quickest sometimes. I recently read the most important thing that we can do is think a thing through, maybe pause for a moment, but think. :)
I realy hate stuff like this! I mean, they can abuse us all they want, but the minute we lose it and snap back, our jobs are in jeopardy (not saying yours is, just a generalization)...and if the pt decides to be an a** about it, they can claim "mental anguish" and all that crap. I really hope you documented everything he said to you, with quotes
quote]
First, there is nothing that says this will rise to the level of abuse. We're all just conjecturing here.
There is nothing that precludes a nurse from suing a patient or reporting a patient to your local prosecuting attorney for some alleged criminal act, as far as I am aware. Just because there is a nurse-patient relationship, does not mean you give up your right to be treated in a legally acceptable manner. Countersue, is the point. Or sue first. Heck, that would be a real first - not really but it would wake that rude patient up. Nurses aren't required to allow patients to treat them like dirt. Would they talk to doctors that way? you know the answer is a resounding "NO".
Thirdly, absolutely document everything. You were mandated to work over, you were forced to work while sick, the patient had thrown things at you, the family were rude for the last 3 weeks, none of them had spoken a kind word to you throughout the entire hospital stay of their loved one, equipment was missing, your aide was hiding, your supervisor failed to get you a potty or meal break in 12 hours, despite having been asked to do so 7 times, on and on. Write it all out, how it was a system failure, as they love to say - and rightly so, in so many cases. LET NO ONE KNOW YOU HAVE WRITTEN IT, AS IT CAN BE DEMANDED AS EVIDENCE IN A LAWSUIT. Just write it for your own edification and protection.
Write down any examples of how other staff, including doctors, have spoken to patients or to other staff and not been discipined. This is called disparate treatment if they go after you but not after everyone else who is rude. Ask a lawyer.
Expect to be fired for rudeness, especially if there have been other problems. But at least you'll have your license.
I don't guess there is any way you could, perhaps with your manager's approval and permission, approach the patient with an apology? You could maybe head off this whole mess from escalating. Don't go to see the patient, though, if you have been banned from the workplace, unless you get permission.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I don't think that it is reportable, but am not sure. I also understand how you feel, because customer service sometimes is mistaken for nurses acting as chambermaids at a hotel. I know that the patient is sick, vulnerable and afraid, however, we are human as well. Maybe all this can result as is a write up if this is your first offense.
I have never yelled at or swore at a pt, but I have walked out of rooms (and sworn ABOUT pts in the break room, lol!).
I have walked out of room, closed several doors behind me and cussed a streak. It is suprising how some people here will condemn you for that. Don't they realize that it is so much better than losing control in front of the patient.
Specializes in Nursing Home ,Dementia Care,Neurology..
I have walked out of room, closed several doors behind me and cussed a streak. It is suprising how some people here will condemn you for that. Don't they realize that it is so much better than losing control in front of the patient.
Definitely agree there,we are Human not robots,to me its better to vent privately away from patients than bottle it up,that way lies burnout and disenchantment with the job.The support of your fellow workers and a "nurses"sense of humour can help as well!
I have walked out of room, closed several doors behind me and cussed a streak. It is suprising how some people here will condemn you for that. Don't they realize that it is so much better than losing control in front of the patient.
I also roll my eyes a lot...just try to make sure that 1) you are not facing the pt/family that is making you want to roll your eyes in the first place, and 2) that you are not facing a mirror!
With a really sour patient you and your coworkers can take turns answering the callbell. You'll be able to vent and joke to each other, makes it a lot easier. If I'm at the end of my rope I can just look to my coworker and say "It's your turn," and they understand.
A fellow nurse had near the same situation and our facility did report it to the BON. She received three days off and was removed from the unit until the resident was discharged. However, she just told the resident where to go. Good Luck.
You know, being sick doesn't automatically make someone a saint, and there are nasty mean patients you will have to deal with for sure, who love to make you feel bad and leave you upset. You are not a robot. You are a human with limits and feelings.
I've dealt with some nasties but the only time I remember losing my temper was when I was a young CNA. She was a very hateful, nasty old woman. She had her call light on (it was a semi-private room) and when I came in she refused to allow me to change her, she wanted the other aide (though I had not done a thing to this woman). So I turned her light off and said the other aide was down the hall at the moment and knew to come to this room because I told her this is where I would wait for her. Anyway, the old woman (who was very much in her right mind) flipped the light right back on. Since we would get fussed at if management thought lights were being let go too long I asked the patient to please not turn on the light because the aide knew where to come and I turned it off again. She flipped it right back on. We played this game several more times until I lost it. The place was chaotic, we were worked to death and this old woman had to compound the misery by being hateful. Instead of pushing the botton with my finger I took my hand and slammed it into the wall as hard as I could. Got her attention that time and where she refused to acknowledge my presence before she barked hey what are you doing?!
But she didn't turn the light back on and I never heard anything else about it.
I'm a very gentle compassionate person but when I know somone in their right mind is making life miserable for others for the sake of it I can't stand it.
In addition to a patient abuse registry what about a health care worker abuse registry? I'd be willing to bet we are victims of abuse a lot more times than the patients are.
Don't be too hard on yourself. Next time to talk to management you might mention to them that you were acting in the heat of passion and you had been stretched to the limit due to the stress of the day. If they can't understand that ask them what kind of computer chip they operate on because never reacting to anger or never feeling frustrated just isn't normal. Anger is a necessary emotion and you had your fill of it that day.
Sorry you had to go through this. And I think that patient owes you an apology.
Specializes in Medical Telemetry, LTC,AlF, Skilled care.
Boy, that situation really stinks. I had a humdinger of a patient this past weekend, A/Ox4 no history of psychiatric problems, who told me he wished he had a gun so he could blow my head off because I came in the room at 0130 to hang an antibiotic. Didn"t really know what to say. Should have said "Hold that thought let me call Security" lol but it is ridiculous how some patients act and as others have stated you're only human any one of us under certain circumstances could lose it. You're doing the right thing by getting therapy, hold your head high, made a mistake can't undue it and you learned from it. Best of luck to you!
You know if there's one thing I don't like about nursing it's the abuse and "customer service" aspect. Customer service is fine, however I'm sure when people get their bills there is no Hospital Employee Abuse charge there.
biker nurse
230 Posts
If they do take it to the board, the fact that you are getting professional help looks awesome. Do not be so hard on yourself, We are human!!! This could be any of us!!