Physically attacked on the job?

Jedi_Iatros · Mar 11, 2006

if you work in the ed, like me, you most likely have been attacked or assaulted some time in your career. i have been assaulted a few times, threatened many times, too many times to count. the worse assault was a 14 year old female who was combative, on drugs and pregnant. we were attempting to restrain her and somehow, her leg got loose and she kicked me hard in the ribs. i sustained nothing more than rib contusions, but i was in pain for weeks. i have had clipboards thrown at me in triage, was slapped in the face by a psych patient, and have had combative, drugged out psych patients attempt to bite, kick, and punch me. through the years, i have learned to always be aware of my surroundings, always have a way out of the room, never take chances and restrain the patient at the first sign of combativeness, and to move really fast ande duck when i see an extremity or clipboard coming at me!

yup! nurses should use the s.a.f.e.s.t. approach.

spacing, appearance, focus, exchange, stabilization, and treatment.

nonie · Mar 12, 2006

Working on Psych Units it's bound to happen but the facility where i worked also made sure we were trained in several techniques as well as verbal judo in an effort to help keep physical attacks from happening.....but there were the days those techniques failed to work depending on the pt and the crisis they were in

SuperFlyRN · Mar 13, 2006

Actually, recently, a nurse was attacked at work by an ex-lover, the staff Anestetist. She had applied for protection and it is currently begin investigated. Here is the link. It is so very sad-hopefully the first stab wound was the fatal one.

http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/editorial/story.html?id=c846d0f6-5a79-4432-8f0c-b3d3bb8b9185

MurseDan · Mar 14, 2006

If everyone patient was "perfect" would you still be a nurse?

Personally I enjoy the fact that people are so different in the way they react and respond. The best thing nursing has taught me, is that "bad situations" allows me to rise to the occasion. Sometimes situations, like what you all have described, can be an opportunity in disguise. An opportunity to experience a higher part of who you are, and to teach by example.

Diffusing violence can be difficult and I admit sometimes impossible however we still shouldn't lose sight of why we became nurses, it takes a situation like that to be able to experience forgiveness, compassion and understanding. If you always had a perfect patient you would never be able to experience these wonderful and amazing aspects of who we are.

Our perception is so important in what we do.

SuperFlyRN · Mar 15, 2006

If everyone patient was "perfect" would you still be a nurse?
Personally I enjoy the fact that people are so different in the way they react and respond. The best thing nursing has taught me, is that "bad situations" allows me to rise to the occasion. Sometimes situations, like what you all have described, can be an opportunity in disguise. An opportunity to experience a higher part of who you are, and to teach by example.
Diffusing violence can be difficult and I admit sometimes impossible however we still shouldn't lose sight of why we became nurses, it takes a situation like that to be able to experience forgiveness, compassion and understanding. If you always had a perfect patient you would never be able to experience these wonderful and amazing aspects of who we are.
Our perception is so important in what we do.

I do not want everyone to be "perfect" but common decency would be divine.

While I would love to be that idealistic, I find it difficult when (this is my most recent experience)-a 14 year old multip (G4P2) who was high on crystal meth and abrupting at 26 weeks was brought into our OB Triage, disoriented, combative and generally being abusive. She was restrained (hands) , upon examination by the OB she kicked him hard enough in the nose that it shattered his nose and glasses (he now has a false eye due to glass shards and extensive optical damage) and he will be off for weeks possibly not returning at all due to extensive visual impairment.

When repeat offenders and general non-compliance like this is so brazen, it is hard to be forgiving and understanding. She permanently damaged her children and her answer was "I don't care, it ain't my problem". Sometimes it is hard to feel sorry for -or even to discern-the "victim" in these cases. A physicians livelihood and life is forever altered due to a careless, unforgiving patient who purposefully harms other people. (I say purposefully because she refuses birth control because it is her "right" to have children-that may be, but it is not her right to damage them for life). I love what I do, I love being a nurse. It is probably one of the hardest and, often, least respected jobs there is. Frontline healthcare workers constantly put their lives at risk -unconditionally- and usually are the last to get respect, let alone accolades-because it is our "job".

I think Lori Dupont (mentioned in previous post-link) would agree. Thanks for letting me vent. Sorry if I offended anybody, I certainly did not mean to.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 15, 2006

if everyone patient was "perfect" would you still be a nurse?
personally i enjoy the fact that people are so different in the way they react and respond. the best thing nursing has taught me, is that "bad situations" allows me to rise to the occasion. sometimes situations, like what you all have described, can be an opportunity in disguise. an opportunity to experience a higher part of who you are, and to teach by example.
diffusing violence can be difficult and i admit sometimes impossible however we still shouldn't lose sight of why we became nurses, it takes a situation like that to be able to experience forgiveness, compassion and understanding. if you always had a perfect patient you would never be able to experience these wonderful and amazing aspects of who we are.
our perception is so important in what we do.

i'm guessing that you haven't ever experienced any real violence -- whether you haven't been a nurse very long, whether you practice in the right neighborhoods, or whether you really are so perfect and compassionate and understanding. be sure and let us know how you feel after that first episode of random violence that leaves you bewildered and wondering "why me?"

klleo27 · Mar 15, 2006

Has anyone been attacked by a patient, working in a hospital on a military base?

MurseDan · Mar 19, 2006

sometimes it is hard to feel sorry for -or even to discern-the "victim" in these cases.

i'm suggesting that we move away from feeling sorry for people, sympathy only disables us from doing our job however being empathetic to there needs and there situation may be a key.

sure it may be idealistic but having that goal in mind will certainly improve us as people and as nurses. we will never be able to fully rid ourselves of violence but i'm just suggesting that there may be other ways of dealing with violence, many places over training on dealing with aggressive behaviour and anger management. personally i think all nurses should be involved with this type of education, as many of these situations described may have been avoided if staff were properly trained to deal with violent situations.

i'm guessing that you haven't ever experienced any real violence

thanks for your concern, i've been working specifically in dementure for 7 years now, i also do agency "guard" shifts in various hospitals, i'm called in when they have a patient that is aggressive or has "unwanted" behaviours.

i've been punched, kicked, elbowed, kneed, spat on, almost stabbed once, abused many times. like i said, sometimes it doesn't matter what you do, im not completley unrealistic however endeavouring to better ourselves and trying to reduce violent situations occurring, i think, isn't such a bad goal to have.

have i ever thought "why me" after a patient has punched me in the head?

well i'm only human and sure after experiencing pain and suffering i get a bit upset but i'm sure the patient is feeling the same way, hence probably why i got punched in the head! for me understanding that its nothing personal helps me move through it faster but i do understand that if you were permanently disabled from a violent situation, this would be a different story.

on another note, nursing deals with more violence then most of the jobs out there, i'm sure everyone will agree.

would you do a self defence coorifice, if it were offered by your place of employment?

would you be involved training that deals with aggressive behaviour?

(if not i'm curious as to why) and does anyone work for an employer that offers this type of training?

maybe if employers made it compulsory for all nurses to attend this type of training, there may be a reduced number of incidents.

what do you think?

Otessa, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2006

You can press charges against a patient-just an FYI...

cindyjean · Mar 26, 2006

I was wondering just how far a charge nurse can allow this to go? I have a patient with severe dementia that has slugged three of our aids pretty well...one had xrays done but thankfully no serious injury..I asked the DON why this client wasn't in an alzheimers unit...why are we putting our staff at risk..as we certainly are not qualified in caring for this gentleman..I was told it was because he was a well known man of town that everyone loved.that we would be ordering drugs to give hiom that may help...well they haven'ty yet..another CNA got hit last night...and the S.A.F.E.S.T. approach is definitly not working with this client...he believe we are she -devils and he is out to destroy us! My concern is where do we stand legally in protecting our staff and safety of other clients? what are you told where you work? any administrators out there that can offer any suggestions?

LTCRN4LIFE · Apr 5, 2006

Too many times to count! Also by a staff member once in my career that put me out of work in agonizing pain and I still have problems with pain from it and that was 3 years ago! Nothing like working with a Psycho Nurse is there?!?!:angryfire

ohioln, RN · Apr 5, 2006

One time a patient in geriatrics almost choked me. It was hard to get away, he got something around my neck and I couldn't get it off right away. I was getting short of breath and seeing little spots in front of my eyes. There was no one in the room but me. I told the other staff later to always go in to his room 2 or more at a time. I'm thankful I wasn't killed.