Slugged in the chest by med-surg patient

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I'm a new member and this is my first post. I've been a RN for 15 years and today was the first time this has ever happened. The patient was very nice and cooperative all today. Found out I needed a Urine C&S and he would need a straight cath (wearing diapers). I explained procedure to patient and he noded he understood (patient had a trach). Cleaned him and was just about to insert catheter and he hauled off and slugged me in the chest. It took me by surprised. I jumped back and he pulled back his fist again. Reported this to charge nurse who spoke to him about not hitting and he smiled and nodded okay, and as she was leaving out the door he threw a cup at her. Found out another nurse got slapped by a patient twice today. Full Moon? Friday the 13th? I would expect this on a pysch floor. Makes me wonder. How many med-surg nurses out there experienced violence from their patients today?

Does anyone know what that little "Warn: (0%)" thing is about? Have I already upset somebody? I don't see it on anyone elses' posts.

I may be wrong but I believe we all have one, but you can only see your own. You can't see mine but I can. If you are at 0%, you haven't done anything wrong.

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.
I may be wrong but I believe we all have one, but you can only see your own. You can't see mine but I can. If you are at 0%, you haven't done anything wrong.

Yeah, it's for only us to see. :)

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I can say with certainty the security in my hospital does NOT make ME feel secure.

I wonder why we don't push for better protection in a hospital. Seriously, why don't we get the same thing the VAs get? How come we pay taxes so others can have protection but we can't?

Life is changing and hospitals are changing. We take care of a whole different group than we did just 25 years ago. We have mega drug and gang wars, ever been to an ER when a gang banger is shot? What is security to do? I know I've seen them pony up to the opportunity to fix that problem. They dial 911! Yeah, I can do that for myself. I'm not saying that all security folks are weenie types, there are some really good ones out there. But their lack of training and lack of legal power certainly does limit what they can do.

They've cut our budgets, they've cut our supplies, they've cut our staff, they've increased our workloads, ... now they have room in their budgets for REAL policemen working at hospitals. Even if they had them near the ER that would be cool. If s/he was an ER policeman yet we could call with a creepy patient or visitors on the floors that are on the edge of doing harm... wouldn't that be cool? Just think about it, we find ourselves in a very dangerous position and we call security. Do you want the 90# wannabe protecting your back side or a REAL policeman?

I know, we can all dream the impossible dream... However, I'm interested to know why we aren't all pushing for something a little better? No, make that a LOT better!

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Life is changing and hospitals are changing. We take care of a whole different group than we did just 25 years ago. We have mega drug and gang wars, ever been to an ER when a gang banger is shot? What is security to do? I know I've seen them pony up to the opportunity to fix that problem. They dial 911! Yeah, I can do that for myself. I'm not saying that all security folks are weenie types, there are some really good ones out there. But their lack of training and lack of legal power certainly does limit what they can do.

Do you want the 90# wannabe protecting your back side or a REAL policeman?

My husband works in law enforcement, and he occassionally works security on the side. But he won't work at most hospitals because they won't allow him to carry a weapon. I guess they don't want the liability but, you're right ... he would be dealing with gang members, drunks and all kinds of problems ...

If he can't be armed he feels like it's useless. No gang member is going to take him seriously if he's not armed so ... he refuses to work for hospitals.

:typing

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

After reading some of these replies I feel fortunate -- working in the ER I'm quite familiar with the security staff at my facility, and with few exceptions I have faith in their ability to deal with situations as they arise. And this is at a Level I ER in the ghetto.

If I were ever assaulted by an A&O pt. I wouldn't think twice about calling the police. Why wouldn't you? Would you tolerate being punched by someone at any other public place -- at the grocery store, the mall, etc.? I'm nobody's punching bag. :stone

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

People DO push for more security in hospitals and injured nurses have SUED in cases like this in the past. Problem is, it takes a pile of hurt and dead health care providers for us to get real change. THe only thing people seem to have in their power to do is NOT work in the hospitals anymore. And increasing numbers of nurses are voting with their feet, doing just that, walking away from hospital nursing.

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Let's face it folks, security FOR NURSES is probably dead last on their list.

They're more concerned with issuing "ask me if I washed my hands" buttons, and trying to placate the outraged brother-in-law, who was visiting his BIL after a vasectomy and someone looked at him the wrong way........or he told the nurse he was thirsty and said nurse didn't IMMEDIATELY supply him with a drink.

You get the idea......

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My take on this is I hate working in the UK when I read threads like this with people talking about restraints for very abusive pts or those likely to harm themselves. We are not allowed restraints, full stop! I've had heroin high pts in the ED jumping on trolleys and threatening to kill us while pulling down everything in the room and security walk away... i've been hit by oriented pts with anything they can get their hands on, buckets of water thrown over me, chased down a corridor with a patient threatening to throw a full catheter bag at me and nothing, but nothing can be done about it!!!!

It's probably the one thing I hate about UK nursing, we are constantly put at risk and told "sorry, there is only one security officer on and can't come" or "are they under a formal section, if not, we won't stay". I just go aaaaaargh!

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Specializes in Cath Lab, OR, CPHN/SN, ER.

I can't say as I trust our security (some of them, yes, some of them, def NOT). Luckily, I work with an awesome team of nurses who stick up for each other. And we have some BIG men nurses working with us. :)

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My husband works in law enforcement, and he occassionally works security on the side. But he won't work at most hospitals because they won't allow him to carry a weapon. I guess they don't want the liability but, you're right ... he would be dealing with gang members, drunks and all kinds of problems ...

If he can't be armed he feels like it's useless. No gang member is going to take him seriously if he's not armed so ... he refuses to work for hospitals.

:typing

So you understand the details of a real policemen vs. a wannabe type more than most. I can't imagine anyone asking a real police officer to go to work without a gun. If he is needed to protect others, he should be permitted to do as he has been trained. We aren't talking the wannabe's here but the real deal! To ask him to put his life at risk with nothing to defend himself is beyond stupid and sounds EXACTLY like a hospital! Geez.....

I don't blame him in the least for refusing to work hospitals. Hospital admin can be amazingly stupid. How much liability would there be if your husband was harmed because the hospital refused to allow him to protect himself?

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