So...I'm a new RN, still in orientation mode. I was starting an IV on a patient, my primary nurse was present as well as a student we had with us. The patient's husband was also present.
I started the IV, I was getting ready to place the tegaderm on and BAM.
She slapped me straight across the face...pretty hard too. No mark, but it stung. I just left the room immediately, that was my first instinct. My primary nurse was dealing with the patient.
Anyway, the patient was an older lady....77, but she was A/O x3. NOT a confused patient, she later said she thought we were just "playing with her" I'm assuming she thought this because the student was watching? I don't know. She knew we needed to start a new IV, her IV infiltrated.
So, my question is this....at what point does a nurse actually look at a situation as being assaulted. If this lady slapped me across the face in the middle of the grocery store, I would have called the police.
What is that fine line? What if she bruised my face? Is that different?
In the hospital policies and procedures, it should have procedures for your situation (whether it is verbal confrontation, threatening behavior up to and including physical assault).
In California, healthcare workers are protected by A.B. 508 which covers verbal confrontation, threatening behavior and actual assault by family or patients. There is also mandatory training on de-escalation of behavior, how to block and avoid assault, and take-downs (handy in ER and locked facility situations).
This legislation was passed (unfortunately) because of the nature of the job; we are prime candidates for attack even if we are not taking care of the patient (i.e. walking past in the hallway in your scrubs, and a family member sees you as someone to vent to. Not your patient, no idea what is happening to this particular situation, but you're a handy target).
In my facility, if the conversation becomes to aggressive towards any heathcare provider, the body language is threatening, or you get (slapped, punched, kicked, pushed etc.) it means calling Security to report the situation, fill out the Incident Report and A.B. 508 forms, and document in the chart. Security then is supposed to report the situation to the police; not necessarily to proceed with charges (unless the behavior escalated to that point) but to have a trend of behavior.
It sucks to have to know about this, but it happens all too often.
Bob and weave, bob and weave (sorry, distracted by the emoticon).
Learn to duck, read body language, and remember to duck.
Dont know of one nurse who has not been smacked by a pt..some worse than others..kinda like boxers dancing in the ring..keep moving.
I have to say again nurses, need to start pressing charges whenever they are threatened verbally or physically. Nurses must use the laws to protect them. The hospitals are NOT going to defend its nurses, customer service scores and the importance of these scores has undemined the safety of nurses. The man in GA who just shot and killed the nurse he blamed for his mother's death proves this. Until all patients and family members understand that medical personel abuse will not be tolerated it will not stop.
I'm glad to read you weren't injured but if she really was AOx3, I'd slap charges on her so fast her head would spin. I don't play that game anymore.
I was hit by a long-term psych pt. I had had a cervical diskectomy and fusion 3 months earlier. He broke the fusion, herniated new discs and broke my neck. Unfortunately there was nothing I could do about it. When I finally came back to work (almost a year later), he saw me and would laugh.
I thought it wasn't battery if it were open handed?? I think it had to be closed handed to be assault.
I'd probably be furious but since she's older I'd probably let it go...that is just me. Now if I thought she was an evil witch...then we might be talking charges. But the lady might still be a little demented??
This makes me so angry and that husband's attitude makes me furious. Why is somehow considered acceptable by the general public for nurses to take abuse as part of their job ? In any other setting they would be answering to automatic assault and battery charges for this travesty.
I have never been assaulted (yet). Just a weird crack-head thing that was more intimidating than harmful and inappropriate.
I was wondering when reading this what is actually in place for us as far as assault and battery. As nurses we do not have the normal expectations as far as respect or anything else that other people do. We didn't have lifting limits or restrictions. No restrictions as far as abuse (which comes from the facility more than patients).
I think this is assault and battery. The thing is this. What is going to be done with a 77 year old? Probation? Big deal. Jail - not necessary. Is she going to learn by it? What would be the expectation.
I do believe that we should be entitled to file police charges when this happens. I probably wouldn't drag a 77 year old to court. But if a drunk laid a hand on me or someone younger and no history of dementia.
I'm so glad I am getting out of the hospital. So...so glad.
I have been a nurse for 15 years and never had problems with that from patients. What an experience for a new person.
I also have to say that I am impressed with all the responses here, but I have been impressed with this board and the people here.
She is 77 years old and acting irrationally? Violent outbursts/irrational behavior are often indications of the onset of various mental problems. Especialy at that age. Have you questioned her husband/family members/friends/other nurses about any other unusual behavior? Is that slap a symptom of a problem that has not been diagnosed? Nothing is more frustrating than abusive behavior from someone you are trying to help(especially a patient). Hang in there!:nuke:
As the saying goes: If a dog bites a man, it is no news, but if aman bites a dog, it is news that will hit the headlines!! The same applies to: When a patient hits a nurse, it is no news, but when a nurse hits a patient, the news will hit the headlines!!!!!!!!
It seems like nurses are supposed to be immuned to abuse from patients, relatives, management , spouses,Doctors and the community at large!! Ridiculous!! Sometimes I regret the day I was born a nurse, but it seems like I have known how to survive through thick and thin with this cancer called BULLYING from all corners. I could be a bully if I could be allowed to practice it and Nursing ethics do not leave room for such. My only advice is that u have to nurse a forgiving heart, thus being a gud religious practitioner and forget all about suing and expecting the management of wherever to come to your aid as this will take a longer time than the coming of Jesus Christ!!
From day one in school, I was taught that it is not about me but about the patient. Sometimes they pee on you, sometimes they throw-up on you and sometimes they slap you. I am suprised at how many relies to her post are focused on how wrong the patient was and how the nurse should retaliate. Am I the only person to consider that the patient has some type of mental impairment? The patient is 77 years old and slapped the nurse because she thought they were "playing with her?" HELLO!!??
Did you read the original post patient was alert and oriented. Wait until you get abused on a regular basis. No one, NO ONE, NO ONE has the right to hit another person nurse or not. If you find this acceptable behavior you are crazy! Even if the patient is not aware the family ahould have wsrned the nurse that patient acts out, or it should have been noted somewhere in the chart. IT IS NEVER acceptable to be hit by another individual EVER. Wait until it happens to you and see how understanding you are then. Especially the fact that the family thought that there was nothing wrong with the patients behavior.
I had a patient pull a pair of scissors on me. The patient was w/c bound and paraplegic, A&O x 3. Not only did I call the police, I called my NM and my ADM. The patient was sent to a Psych unit for eval. The patient never returned to our LTC facility.
Why is somehow considered acceptable by the general public for nurses to take abuse as part of their job ? In any other setting they would be answering to automatic assault and battery charges for this travesty. 
SpringTXRN
9 Posts