Nursing Abuse

Published

Specializes in Medical /Neuro, Oncology, LTC, Home Care.

hello everyone,

i want to share something that has happened to me today in my LTC.

I was giving my morning meds to my patients who were in the dinning room and im outside the dinning room with my med cart. Down the hall I can see the other unit where the other nurse ( much older and experienced then me) was also with her med cart giving medications.

Anyways, im at my cart and i turn to look at the nurse where i can hear her raising her voice at a pt. ( this pt does not speak english but is cognitively aware about her medications but chooses not to take her meds and pretends to take them as i have worked with this pt myself before.)

then i see the nurse slap this pt on her arm. this slap was not a full "swing" but enough of a slap where it was not considered acceptable. i was shocked, and a pt who was next to me at this time looked at me in shock also. then the nurse noticed i saw and tried to defend herself by saying she didnt take her meds, she pretneds she does etc.. i responded in a normal way that i know how she is, ive had the pt before. ( i should have intervened then)

after this happened I felt what the correct action was to tell my supervisor about this incident. ( im feeling that im a "rat" and i hate that. but i know that if i didnt speak up i could loose my license. i didnt only speak up beacuse of that but also becasue it is wrong and that nurses represent care and should not act out in such a manner)

anyways long story short i went to my supervisor who told me to go to my ADOC ( Assistant Director of Care.)

i spoke to her and she was disappointed also and said that that was abuse and said she must speak to that nurse about this.

i feel like this stuff happens more then i think in health care, just no one says anything..

Also, i feel that i have less of a chance of getting a full time position now due to this.

feedback about this would really help. Thank you for reading.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical Surgical Orthopedic.

(((hugs)))

I'm glad that you followed through with reporting this co-worker's behavior even though it was hard for you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

When choosing what to do in nursing....

The right thing to do is always hardest to do and no one except the patient will ever appreciate it. I call it "No good deed goes unpunished".

That's really why were here... no one else is there to advocate but us. There are consequences some times. I find I sleep just fine at night just being an advocate while administration is plotting my death. You did just fine!:yeah:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.

1. Why in the world would this prevent you from getting a promotion?

2. Abuse is 100% wrong 100% of the time. What you witnessed was abuse and you had absolutely NO choice but to report this immediately. You are not to blame for this nurses actions - she has to take responsibility for that. Hopefully your supervisor fired her.

3. If a resident is cognitively aware of their medications and chooses not to take them that is their choice. No need to force them on her. No need for her to pretend to take them. Make sure she is aware of the risks of not taking them (may need to enlist family to help her understand), document it and move on.

4. I have worked in LTC for many years. I would like to think that elder abuse IS NOT common. I have only witnessed it once and it was lucky that I didn't take the person outside and show them what abuse really was. What I did do was make sure it was the last day I ever laid eyes on the person in my place of employment.

Sleep well - you did the right thing without question.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I hate that you are in this position but thank God you saw this. Who knows what else this woman has done and will continue to do if given the chance. You did the right thing and no one should ever doubt that. Chances are this was not her first time doing this, hopefully it will be her last though! You are not a "rat" and should not feel like one... she did wrong, you just happened to catch it and did the right thing by reporting it! Sending you a huge hug!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I was working as an 11-7 supervisor at a nursing home when one of the CNA's came to me and told me that one of the other CNA's had "popped" a resident on the hip for fighting her when she was cleaning him.

There was no harm to the resident, not even a reddening of the area, but that wasn't the point. I had to send her home and fill out a report, and of course she was fired. When I talked to her, she pleaded with me not to send her home, citing the fact that she had children and needed the job, that the resident wasn't hurt, etc. This was someone I had often gone to give a ride to work in my own car, one that I liked and enjoyed her company. It broke my heart, but there has to be zero tolerance for this kind of thing.

You made the right call. Tolerating little things leads to bigger things. If it's "no big deal," then it becomes standard, which sets the stage for the next level. In a way, you're doing that nurse a favor, giving her a wakeup call so that she can examine her behavior before she becomes something even uglier.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You did the right thing, this should (if this is a good facility) even help you get a full time position. Most LTC facilities do not want abuse happening in their facility and now they know that you will follow through with your respinsibilities. If they allow this to happen and allow this nurse to continue working, you dont want to work their. Also I hope you are aware that you are required to report this to the state ombudsmen within 24 hours!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I realize you are worried about a full time position but this is an instance where you simply must put someone before you. You know how most people say to look out for number 1 well in this case I think you did the right thing even if it does cost you. If it were me being able to sleep at night knowing I did the right thing is worth more.:twocents:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Something similar occurred at my place. That nurse is gone.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Medical /Neuro, Oncology, LTC, Home Care.

Thank you for all the comments and support everyone.

After talking on here and with some friends i feel that i should have approached the nurse on my own about this and talked about it first before reporting. well what is done is done. all i can do is use this as a learning experience and know for next time..

Is it just me or do other people feel that nursing is sometimes very hard. like we need to be on our toes all the time! med/orders/ transcribing, etc.. like one SIMPLE SLIP and something will go wrong or be reported.

I guess when working i have to keep in mind to calm down, stop rushing through things just to get them done.

Im sure 99% of us have felt this way sometime through our career..

what has helped? what hasnt? and what do you tell yourself when your feeling down and overwhelmed?

Thank you everyone much love! :nurse:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Well I made the mistake at whistleblowing on a nurse who was doing something extremely unethical. Biggest mistake I ever made. The managers told her it was me and now I am constantly abused by her, she tries to set me up for failure. Omits important information during report. ETC. I know we are bound by ethics to report but I will NEVER,EVER report anyone for anything ever again. All my other co-workers are so upset that nothing is being done about her. They also witnessed her unethical behaviour. I am now seeking new employment. So are my co-workers!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion