Poll: Have you been assaulted on the job?

HiddenAngels · Jun 19

I was directly punched in the arm by a confused patient.

My coworkers and I were kicked and hit trying to stop someone from getting out of bed and falling.. and

I've walked in and left after seeing a pt having inappropriate undercover movements..

that's all

My goodness punched in the eye. What does worker's comp have to say about that.

abbnurse · Jun 20

Hello nighttech -

For years, I worked in one of the first facilities in my city that was devoted to caring for patients with a dx. of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. It was quite a new concept at the time, as prior to that, patients dx'd with dementia were often medicated ( sedated) and restrained virtually 24 / 7. In this new facility, there were zero restraints (such as Posey vests) , and PRN medications for "behaviors" were not often used.

It was VERY common for staff to be assaulted by confused patients. Personally I have been bitten ( it's amazing how much it can hurt, to be bitten by someone with no teeth!), choked with my stethoscope ( I stopped wearing it around my neck after that), had hair pulled , been scratched and kicked.

One STNA had his shoulder dislocated, and a nurse on my unit sustained serious injuries after a very confused patient picked up a ( heavy ) pill crusher and hit the nurse in the back of the head and hit again a bit lower, fracturing vertebrae C-6, C-7, and T - 1.

I hope your eye is OK !

abbnurse 🤗

olddog · Jun 21

40+ years here, really glad to see that assaulting medical staff is becoming "not acceptable".

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Jun 21

Dodged a few blows from combative old ladies with dementia over the years.

Does getting you backside massaged by a trached and vented older gentleman with a lecherous grin during suctioning on night shift count too? His wife was at bedside 12hrs on day/eve. Stat ABGS done and vent settings adjusted. Sheepish demeanor next night.

I attended hearing in Harrisburg this Spring as my PA Representative Leanne Kruger sponsored HB 926 Health Care Workplace Violence Prevention Act, passed House now in the Senate for consideration. 3rd session such legislation has been introduced in PA without passage.

Lynker, ASN, RN · Jun 22

Aside from general nursing home physical abuse, I was also sexually assaulted on the job twice... by the same person. And management did nothing.

nighttech, CNA · Jun 23

abbnurse said:

Hello nighttech -

For years, I worked in one of the first facilities in my city that was devoted to caring for patients with a dx. of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. It was quite a new concept at the time, as prior to that, patients dx'd with dementia were often medicated ( sedated) and restrained virtually 24 / 7. In this new facility, there were zero restraints (such as Posey vests) , and PRN medications for "behaviors" were not often used.

It was VERY common for staff to be assaulted by confused patients. Personally I have been bitten ( it's amazing how much it can hurt, to be bitten by someone with no teeth!), choked with my stethoscope ( I stopped wearing it around my neck after that), had hair pulled , been scratched and kicked.

One STNA had his shoulder dislocated, and a nurse on my unit sustained serious injuries after a very confused patient picked up a ( heavy ) pill crusher and hit the nurse in the back of the head and hit again a bit lower, fracturing vertebrae C-6, C-7, and T - 1.

I hope your eye is OK !

abbnurse  🤗

Working with confused patients every day must be so difficult! I deal with a lot of intense, dramatic, sad, scary situations, but I don't know if I could do that for every interaction!

With our facility, my position is responsible for working with girls ages 17 and under being brought in usually right after being arrested, and getting them through all of our intake procedures. We receive ongoing deescalation training, and combined with enough patience I can usually get through the toughest situations. I'm usually pretty good at reading body language, but there are some that just don't show anything externally and then just explode. That's what happened to my eye when one wasn't thrilled about a search procedure. Thankfully, no lasting damage!

jadedRN04 · Jun 23

30 years of nursing. I have been punched in the jaw by a confused elderly man, bitten by a woman who wasn't confused, shoved by a guy who wasn't confused when I was helping him untangle his IV tubing. I was grazed on the head by a flying telemetry box (those things are solid and left a dent in the wall) from a lady having a thyroid storm. Groped and pinched by multiple male patients. Had my hair pulled multiple times. The ones who are truly sick and confused didn't really bother me. It's the ones who knew better and were just being jerks.

nighttech, CNA · Jun 23

jadedRN04 said:

30 years of nursing. I have been punched in the jaw by a confused elderly man, bitten by a woman who wasn't confused, shoved by a guy who wasn't confused when I was helping him untangle his IV tubing. I was grazed on the head by a flying telemetry box (those things are solid and left a dent in the wall) from a lady having a thyroid storm. Groped and pinched by multiple male patients. Had my hair pulled multiple times. The ones who are truly sick and confused didn't really bother me. It's the ones who knew better and were just being jerks.

I feel blessed to have a panic button that gets me a fast response time! In my case, I am dealing with kids in a criminal justice sense so they're not coming in as a traditional "patient", they're brought in to be locked up for something they did meaning most don't have a medical reason to be confused... I mean we get a handful of intoxicated or high (after getting cleared by an ED) so those are the exception, but there are fair number of girls that fall square in the "jerk" category when talking with me.

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Jun 23

Many times. I've been punched, slapped, bit, kicked etc. But then I worked 25 years in a SNF and these assaults were from elderly, confused, scared and combative residents. I considered the occasional strike from a resident just part of the job. I've never been assaulted by an oriented patient, a family member or anybody else.

abbnurse · Jun 23

nighttech said:

I feel blessed to have a panic button that gets me a fast response time! In my case, I am dealing with kids in a criminal justice sense so they're not coming in as a traditional "patient", they're brought in to be locked up for something they did meaning most don't have a medical reason to be confused... I mean we get a handful of intoxicated or high (after getting cleared by an ED) so those are the exception, but there are fair number of girls that fall square in the "jerk" category when talking with me.

Bless you, for the work that you do ! You are most definitely dealing with a lot of potentially explosive situations, not only are they teenagers, but they are likely very upset about being in the juvenile detention center, as well.

NRSKarenRN said:

Does getting you backside massaged by a trached and vented older gentleman with a lecherous grin during suctioning on night shift count too?

I hadn't even thought about all those times ! Definitely had my share of those confused older gentlemen who would take advantage of the fact that both my hands were engaged ( such as while suctioning, or administering a bolus tube feeding) ...one of them would always say " But I love you ! " when asked to please refrain from groping his nurse. 🙄

nighttech, CNA · Jun 27

abbnurse said:

Bless you, for the work that you do ! You are most definitely dealing with a lot of potentially explosive situations, not only are they teenagers, but they are likely very upset about being in the juvenile detention center, as well.

Thank you! You're absolutely right, the potential is often there due to a combination of just having been involved in some kind of stressful situation that the cops became involved in, mixed with the realization of their sudden loss of freedom, with a sprinkle of hormones to add extra fuel.

I've been doing this for a decade, and have had several people get hired and start training, only for them to realize within a week or two (or in one case, in one day!) that this wasn't the right environment for them (I can't blame them). It's also been long enough for me to have seen things pre- and post-COVID, and let me tell you the last few years have been heartbreaking. We're seeing them brought in younger and younger (the youngest age we accept is 11) for serious drug charges (distribution, various quantities of unprescribed benzos/stimulants on school grounds in whatever container is convenient goes over very well with cops and the courts), at least 2/3 tell me during their intake history that they've vaped or smoked, and also violence related charges, including a growing number for threats they make on social media ("I don't want to take a test today, I'll just post something that gets my school locked down" 🙄)

I know they're not really represented on this board, but I have to give a shout out to our social workers who really do go out of their way every day to try to help get them back on the right path, despite an ever increasing caseload.

I'm sorry that this turned into a bit of a venting session. I know that this is a depressing reality that a lot of people would rather, understandingly, remain oblivious to.