Pt's wife patted my butt

Published

I spent today running around like a mad woman, putting out fires and watching the shift escalate in intensity throughout the day. This one elderly man had a wife who strongly resembled Tammy Faye Baker. She had a clown-like amount of rouge on her cheeks, tons of mascara, and a pushy, saccharin, bubbly, demanding personality that rather gave me the creeps.

I spent half the shift apologizing about not getting back in the room as soon as they'd like. I don't know if this weird woman was trying to encourage me or what, but as I was walking by her in the room, she patted my butt! It was the kind of butt pat that pro football players might do, or you'd do for a little kid or something. Kind of like instead of patting me on the back, she patted me on the butt.

What do you think of that?

Specializes in LTC.

I probably would have just ignored it too. Seems like she was trying to give support and her hand slipped or she accidently crossed into your personal space

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
Is her husband the one you said "no problem" to? :coollook:

steph

That would be an affirmative on that, Spidey... :lol2:

That would be an affirmative on that, Spidey... :lol2:

Well, there is your answer! You offended her . . so she offended you!

steph;)

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

Hmmmmm, maybe he told her about it, she wasn't there at the time. I think her daughter was, she was bubbly, saccharin, pushy too, she must have been offended. ;)

Regarding the pat on the butt, it was a very purposeful pat, no way it could have been an accident.

Hmmmmm, maybe he told her about it, she wasn't there at the time. I think her daughter was, she was bubbly, saccharin, pushy too, she must have been offended. ;)

Regarding the pat on the butt, it was a very purposeful pat, no way it could have been an accident.

I'm kidding about the "offended" part. :coollook:

Some "bubbly, saccharin, pushy" folks are also prone to cross the invisible line of others comfort zone. :icon_roll

steph

Maybe she really appreciated the way you took Pts BP and temp??:smokin:

Mark

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

You know what bothers me about this? I didn't feel free to tell this woman to stop it! I felt helpless because she held the power in the relationship because she was being demanding and faultfinding, even though I was slammed with several high need patients, including a cath lab patient who came back with an artline, and other high acuity situations.

It reminded me of me being a kid and her holding all the power.

Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

Well, this beats all. I don't know what I would have done. Probably stood there with my mouth gaping open looking at the woman.

old don't mean dead

if she does this again be very forceful, eye to eye and tell that is not acceptable

she will problably say that you took it all wrong from what she indended but this is not an acceptable excuse

+ Join the Discussion