Crazy, abusive patient? What do u do?

[Anagray]

I had a very discouraging experience a few weeks ago.

I'm a tech on a cardiac floor. One saturday night about 8 pm I saw a stretcher coming my way, so as usual, I went to check out the patient and help to get him situated. It wasn't an old man this time, but a 30 y o guy.

The patient was pissed off by the ER nurse who transported him. For something she did that he didn't like, he called her names, said very nasty things about her right to her face. He yelled: " u get paid to do such and such" She turned around on her way out, obviously upset, and said " i don't get paid to take the abuse from you"

I thought that he was irritated by the 7 hour wait in the ER or something like that, i had no idea this would be the night from hell.

Noone could figure out what was up with this guy. He yelled and screamed all night long, refused his nurse, tried to call the police, cursed out the resident on duty, cursed out the security, and then yelled and yelled and yelled. He wouldn't leave ama, but he wouldn't take anything besides morphine and not just from any person.

I was supposed to go in and try to take blood from this guy and do his vitals. Iw as probably the only person who could go into his room without being cursed out or yelled at, but i was seriously concerned about him punching me out or something.

Of course, he was on the bell continuously. Every little thing caused a HUGE blow up - like the fact that he couldn't have mountain dew on a cardiac foor.

At the end of my shift I sat and talked with him, trying to settle him down, so the nurses can do their jobs and the rest of the patients can sleep ( it was close to 11)

The only thing that kept him quiet was me rubbing his back with lotion ( and i will never EVER do it again to any man, because this pig started hitting on me and asking me personal questions)

His doctor didn't come to see him until the next day and he basicly kicked him out.

In the mean time, the whole staff had to put up with abuse all night and all morning.

Have u ever had an abusive patient who was out of control?

I feel now that we are not protected enough against people like that, regardless of what their issues are. I have a hunch this guy was de-toxing, but it was just luck that he didn't lash out at anyone.

[RyanRN]

LOL SHAY and ERNURSRE

My husband, a Correction Office, says 'CALL 911, call adm. and state clearly, either he goes or I do". I used to argue the 'nursing mentality' argument with him, now I consider him right! We live in America, noone has the right to abuse us!

PS, "that's what you're paid to do" is BS, I'd put money on the fact that YOUR taxes are paying for his hospital stay!!!!! (I hate when that happens cause I always want to have a SAY in how I spend my taxes)

[kewlnurse]

5 security guards, 10 of haldol, 2 of ativan and a 20 ga syringe. He wouldn't refuse that.

[thisnurse]

oh i am such the expert on this...lol

this sounds like the kind of pt i seem to get ALL of the time.

everyone, including the docs laff cos i ALWAYS get the whackos.

went thru a similar situation

called the nursing supervisor....she blew me off...i told her he had a strong potential for violence...he heard me and he got even more agitated. she heard him screaming, she came to the floor.

security was called and they sent up ONE female officer. i called them back and told them they better send more. 4 men came to the unit.

i called the docs. resident came to the floor and tried to reason with him.

he would NOT restrain or sedate him....issues with imprisonment...

resident told me not to worry...he would be ok. BULLSHYT

this guy was out of control. he didnt know what the heck he was saying or doing. there was NO WAY that doc could tell me he was going to be ok.

finally gave him 5 of morphine....big deal...might as well have given him a drink of water. gave him 10 of xanax, then another 10. no effects at all...didnt even calm him down.

i told the doc, in front of the supervisor, that i was NOT going to care for this patient. it was a safety risk i was NOT going to take.

he couldnt guarentee my safety and there was no way this guy was going to kick my azz.

after i refused to care for him, everything changed. thats when the doc decided to give him the morphine.

and thats when the doc and the supervisor decided to have security stay with him all night.

just dont do it. refuse the pt. call the supervisor, call the doc, call whoever you have to. stick to your guns.

and i have NO problem telling pts like that to settle down. and i have NO problem telling them i am NOT going to tolerate their abuse. AND I DONT.

i really hate the psych patients. they go from calm to homocidal in seconds. no way to read this and respond until its too late.