OK, just a quick back story. I currently work as a nurse in a drug/alcohol detox facility. We are a small privately owned facility. I work over nights and I am the only nurse. During the overnight shift there is also one of female tech that works with the residential clients. We are on a ranch so there a separate buildings. I am in my own building with 4 patients....
So at my facility there is no security, no security cameras.... NOTHING! We are surrounded by a community of homes that are on the same street as us.
There was an incident last night where a neighbor ran to our facility banging on my window, half naked... yelling "HELP ME, HELP ME! He is trying to kill me!!" Of course as any human I was scared ****less!! I froze and was unsure if I should help her and let her in or be cautious of letting her in. This situation sent me into fight or flight mode. My whole body was shaking. I ended up not letting her to protect the safety of my clients that are in this building with me and my own. I called the cops and notified the tech.
Come to find out... this woman has been here multiple times with the same scenario yelling and crying for help! The tech stated she has been doing this for 2+ years..
This also wasn't the only scenario where I've had a stranger enter our property. Once at 2am I had a man walk in that was high and emotional asking for me to find his family member that he believed was at our facility. Not to mention, the time when a client came back PLASTERED after getting kicked out of the program and tried to assault the techs, threatened the staff and damage property in a violent rage!
Yes, I work in a psych setting.. however, what precautions are being taken for the safety of my clients and the staff? I emailed my boss about my concerns and asked that he get security or fix the cameras so that I will be able to see who is on our property!! I did not get any reply from him.. I talked to the other staff about this suggestion - they completely blew me off and said that lady is just crazy! Just lock the doors!
Am I overreacting? I really have the urge to just quit this job. Yesterday was the second time since working here that I felt that I was going to die. When the man walked in the first time in the state that he was I feared something was gonna happen and now this.... I feel like I have valid feelings but then feel like maybe I just need to have thicker skin as a psych nurse .
Specializes in Pediatric Private Duty AND Child/Adolescent Psych.
I can not wrap my head around being the only staff in the building. Period.
I am almost speechless. We are trained to never be alone with a client. Even with the door open I still have a staff member come to the doorway when I have to enter a clients room to do a blood sugar check, 02sat spot check, ect
Besides physical safety concerns what about allegations and such?
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areason4stars, ASN, RN
49 Posts
I can not wrap my head around being the only staff in the building. Period.
I am almost speechless. We are trained to never be alone with a client. Even with the door open I still have a staff member come to the doorway when I have to enter a clients room to do a blood sugar check, 02sat spot check, ect
Besides physical safety concerns what about allegations and such?