jk0805

My very first clinical of nursing school I was assigned a violent patient. The hour before we came in he bit a CNA. Prior to that first clinical, the instructors told us we would always be safe. If we felt uncomfortable in any situation we just needed to tell the clinical instructor. I told my clinical instructor I was uncomfortable taking care of this patient because I was a survivor of an abuse marriage. I was told that I could either care for this patient or fail my very first clinical. She went on to tell me that in my career I would have to care for plenty of men that abuse or have abused there wives. She went on to say that I could not let my history effect my care. The patient was never physically abusive to me that day but he was verbally abusive. My instructor used me and my story, without my permission, at our debrief that day. She saw it as a success that "I got over my fear of abusive patients." I did not get over my fear that day. The only thing this taught me was abuse towards nurses is tolerated.