Pressing charges on a psych patient?

[Little_Mouse]

I was just wondering if it is possible (or silly/ right/wrong) to press assault charges on a psych patient on a psych unit?

I work on a gero-psych unit and have been assaulted some time ago and not too long ago a coworker got a broken nose from getting punched by that same pt...

I am just curious if it's possible to press charges on the pt or because the pt is being evaluated and treated in a psych unit that it would be pointless or deemed silly since that's the reason the pt was admitted in the first place...?

And btw, although my unit is technically "psych" we are not stricly psych-- we allow IV poles and call lights w/wires (which has been used as potential weapons several times), although we don't allow knives, we do allow forks and don't count utensils post meal, etc.

[Jules A, MSN]

I'm normally not in favor of pressing charges on a psychiatric patient but it would depend on the situation. Some are definitely more lucid than others. What about the hospital's responsibility to keep us safe? Imvho most times we are not given adequate staff to prevent assaults by certain patients with a long history of aggression.

[oopsimout]

Geropsych? Does this patient suffer from Dementia? If so charges or not, they may not learn a lesson. I don't think there is really enough detail there for me to tell you to file or not. I was a home health nurse and got nailed with a really good upper cut one time. The patient was having DTs and had no idea what he was doing. I did not press charges. I think alot would depend on the patients actual status and your hospital policy. If the patient is lucid and has a history of violence then go ahead if you feel the need. In the least the incidents should be well documented. I'm sorry that you have been assaulted.

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

In certain jobs (working for state or Federal) , you are not allowed to press charges . At least in our area.

I agree with the quote above. The time I was assaulted the "psych" patient had substance issues as the diagnosis along with a history of legal problems.

I was disappointed I could not press charges

as I felt I was enabling this inappropriate behavior and violent.

But as I am sure ImThatGuy is aware, this type of individual is no stranger to the legal system

and next time, charges along with accountability will stick.

So there's a written policy in place with your employer, which you affirmed by signature, thereby waving your rights to protection under the law that you have to abide by?

[leslie :-D]

Just because someone is in a psych unit does not mean they do not know right from wrong. Press Charges.

i agree.

one can be considered competent and still be mentally ill.

if this pt makes his own decisions, then you can press charges where he'd be held accountable.

if he has a poa, chances are he won't be, but it should be noted in his record anyway.

leslie

[Sniper RN]

I am shocked to see all the posts on here suggesting violence. First and foremost, they are patients. To press charges or not is up to you and would depend on the situation for me. I would NEVER condone retaliating with violence. What kind of nurses are you?

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

Im sure it was hyperbole sniper.

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

I am shocked to see all the posts on here suggesting violence. First and foremost, they are patients. To press charges or not is up to you and would depend on the situation for me. I would NEVER condone retaliating with violence. What kind of nurses are you?

Who's condoning retaliation?

Do you mean perhaps self-defense? If so, then they are lawfully entitled to defend themselves as reasonable under the circumstances be they nurses or not. To do no harm doesn't apply in this circumstance.

As to what kind of nurses they are perhaps they are the type that hope to go home to their families unscathed at the end of shift - a hope to which they are grossly entitled to.

[twinkerrs]

It took a couple of nurses and techs calling the police to make a patient believe that they would have to face consequences for her actions. She had a history of abusing staff at every facility she has ever been placed in. She is only 17 and even had to have a state ordered eval cancelled because they had a hard time finding an evaluator she had not attacked. Up to the time that the police were called to our facility on her she had never had consequences. She is now serving jail time where she should be. What really made the charges stick was the fact that she threatened staff constantly. So it was a planned attack not a random aggitation incident.

[Sniper RN]

No, you should not press charges. You should press a chair up against his head while he's sleeping..

THAT does not sound like self defense

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

hyperbole, sniper. jeeze.

[Guest717236]

So there's a written policy in place with your employer, which you affirmed by signature, thereby waving your rights to protection under the law that you have to abide by?

This was many years ago, the State also gave a very small supplement pay for potential dangerous duty,

but the clause was that your family could not sue if you were fatally wounded. The not press charges issue was tired to that contract.

You could not charge a patient for assault.

At the time there was a union (closed shop), so if you wanted the job this

was the agreement. I should add I was young, starting out as a nurse and as in todays climate jobs in my area were very scarce.

Now the same job is contracted out to a private firm.....

[ImThatGuy, BSN, RN]

THAT does not sound like self defense

LOL. This coming from someone whose screenname is sniper.