One in seven . . .

road runner2003 · Dec 5, 2003

-This is one issue that puts me off nursing. I recall reading in the newspaper earlier in the yr St Vincent's hospital was quite bad - along with many others.

JaRrOd_MsTuDeNt · Dec 7, 2003

:confused: whats the point to your post?I'm confused. Do tell.

ps y the worry?highly unlikely it'll happen. One in 7 is bit outta the norm dont u think?distorted figures i'll say.

fergus51 · Dec 7, 2003

If they are taking verbal abuse into account, I would say one in seven is actually low. I can't think of a nurse who hasn't put up with swearing at some point by a patient's family member or a doc or another nurse. In my experience, it's management that sets the tone and decides whether or not this will be accepted in a facility.

gwenith, BSN, RN · Dec 7, 2003

I would agree with Fergus - verbal abuse is the worst and most especially from attention seekers who no matter what you do for them - as soon as you stop giving them the attention that they crave they turn on you and give you a mouthful. They do not care that you are in the middle of a resuscitation or something important - they will go for you and deliver verbal abuse. The ones that HAVE to be the centre of attention no matter what - they are the dangerous ones probably more for the other patients as they will distract you at a critical time.

they are also particulally annoying as the profession dictates that you stay professional in dealing with these people and so you are forced into being polite and "nice" to them even when you want to tell them to go find a life and stop bothering you. They often take advantage of that and push the envelope further knowing that you will not retaliate. I sometimes think we should throw the customer service thing to the winds and just come out with the truth.

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · Dec 7, 2003

The short article isn't clear as to the period over which the stat is relevant. (Maybe I missed it.) Kinda tough to evaluate the situation without that.

mags-rn · Dec 7, 2003

Originally posted by JaRrOd_MsTuDeNt
whats the point to your post?I'm confused. Do tell.
ps y the worry?highly unlikely it'll happen. One in 7 is bit outta the norm dont u think?distorted figures i'll say.

Because this is an issue all throughout nursing, and not exclusively Australia.

I stand strong in saying this - nurses should NOT have to put up with abuse whether it be verbal or physical. Spend a day in Accident & Emergency that will change your mind.

Thank-you for bringing this up.

Cheers!

JaRrOd_MsTuDeNt · Dec 9, 2003

hmm well I was thought roadrunner meant the physical part. only trying to make light of roadrunners post. seems roadruuner was being fixiated of negative side 2 nursing can'tm be fixiated on things like this all thru nursing as a student like rr.

claireg3 · Dec 10, 2003

Hi there,

I work in the UK (well for the next 4 weeks anyway) and over the last 13 years have been assaulted 3 times. The first incident happened when I worked in a nursing home. The man had an acquired brain injury and unbeknown to me didn't like people in glasses (the staff had failed to tell me this) I got a good thump and 2 broken ribs for my trouble.

The 2nd time was by a drunken relative who had me pinned up against the wall - we waited 20 minutes for the police to arrive. Fortunately a relative intervened. This was all before zero tolerance and the man got away scott free as it was put down to the stress of his mother being ill.

The last time was earlier this year when an elderly confused man had been inappropriatley placed on our ward. He went over to a post op patient and started to play around with his drains IVs etc. I stepped in to stop him and he moved that damn quick I didn't realise what was happening until my arm was up behind my back and my shoulder sub-luxed OUCH!!

Again nothing happened as the chap was confused.

These are only the physical cases of abuse/assault. If I had a £ for every time I had been verbally abused I wouldn't need to work. The joys of nursing eh?

Claire

ceridwyn · Dec 14, 2003

WEll, I'm chucking it in, well almost until I can find another job at safeway or homecare or something else.

I am sick of the horizontal violence and the lack of respect from relatives. Honestly it stinks. "What sort of Registered Nurse do you think you are? Dads TED stockings aren't on correctly" -- when you have just walked onto an afternoon shift. Or "Mum hasen't had any pain relief, is that coz she is old and you haven't bothered asking her?"--when you have been at lunch for half an hour and someone else was looking after her when she had come out of theatre 1 hour ago for very minor surgery.

All for very little money, got a degree went down $5.00 an hour, the people you do help, helps a bit. but really self esteeem has gone.

Some staff reprimand you, in front of patients, stinks as well. I am open to discussion about who goes on what trolley next, but please not be put down in front of patients, they are stressed enough without losing confidence in their nurses ability!!!

I must be a pretty sensitive useless nurse, I have just had it. C

gwenith, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2003

C - I sounds like you have had a rotten day or two or more at work and it sounds like you have some bullying going on. The relatives - try the old stare at them and ask "Excuse me - Do I deserve to be treated that way?" in the nicest kindest voice you can imagine.

Honestlly I hate the relatives who think that just because Mum says she is a little uncomfortable (not in pain - just a little uncomfortable) feel they have to hunt up the nurse and take a big bite out of her/him and when you get there Mum says "Oh! Really I feel fine I just have a dry throat so when is dinner" 10 minutes after surgery. AAAAAaaaaarrrrrrgggghhh!!!!

One of the worst I ever saw was a young girl 5 days post bunions who, when Mum was in the room was screaming in agony while Mum was abusing staff left right and centre and DEMANDING that her darling daughter be given MORE narcotics and ring up the doctor and get more ordered. Geesh Lady! She is 5 days post op - my corns would hurt more at this point.