Maybe the past few rough nights have got me too much on edge with not enough sleep, but I hit the end of my patience last night. Detoxer sucker punched me in the face. We had a good relationship going there on our second night together, I tend to not be a line in the sand type with my detoxers. You tell me we're on a boat, I'll ask where you're driving me. We can joke around and keep things light, as long as we're all safe. We weren't even doing anything invasive, a boost in bed with me by his chest, another aide next to me and one across. I didn't see it coming, and even with the padded mitt, it was hard enough to move my glasses (not knock them off entirely), and my jaw still feels it. Not the hardest I've ever been hit and we all know you just take it, right. But when I looked over there was clear intent on his face, and that face came back many times over the night. Ended up in four points within a few hours, and by the end of my shift I'd been threatened enough times I decided to call.
The officer comes in and his first question is "Well, what were you doing to him at the time?" He clarified that he plays devil's advocate because he has to prove intent in order to get a warrant (as we all know), and in a patient detoxing, on benzos, and hallucinating, that's nearly impossible. But "I support you" he says. Then he proceeds to show me bruises on his arm from an arrest and then tells me he's been injured many times and he's never pressed charges. As if he's better than me and I'm lacking in compassion and knowledge about my job if I'm doing this. I treated that patient professionally and courteously, as I do all my patients. I know they're dealing with addiction issues and no matter what brought you to my assignment, I try not to judge because it has no place in providing competent care. But why are we expected to just take this time and time again as an appropriate behavior? And not just us. Police, teachers, EMTs, many professions, we're now expected to just take it. So, I know my complaint won't go anywhere, nothing will happen to him, but just on the principle of it I wanted to put it out there. If nothing else, as least the next time he's back I can claim a conflict of interest.
Does anyone have a workplace that takes this stuff seriously? Because I'm not the only one recently, and especially in the ED, some of these people are alert, oriented and just mean. Or maybe I'm wrong for calling because it shows a lack of understanding for my patient, whatever. But I just felt like someone has to do something, I have friends at work, and I don't want them to be in danger, either. We can't put everyone in restraints just for our safety, that would be abuse, so we have to wait, and hope it's not more serious next time.
Huh?? Violent restraints are a thing. There are extra hoops e.g. q 4hr orders (I think?), q 15 minute checks vs q 2 hr checks... but they are a thing. I have never once been told in annual training that they are only used for someone who can’t control themselves— they are used when their behaviors pose a risk to staff.
You're correct that violent restraints are a thing, but the restraint use in this case falls under medical restraints as they were placed to protect medical devices:
8 hours ago, JBMmom said:
As soon as an IV was placed, he would pull it out, it appeared to be an intentional decision, therefor mitts were necessary.
The legal basis for this is that the patient is deemed to not have the decision making capacity to decide whether or not they want the IV, in other words they don't have the ability to make decisions that they are legally responsible for. This is the problem with then filing a police complaint which is based on the premise that the patient is able to make decisions that they are legally responsible for.
It's not unheard of for patients to press charges for having restraints used on them when the required legal criteria was not met, but it's usually hard to prove that the nurse had determined the patient actually did have decisional capacity, this wouldn't be the case if the patient (and their lawyer) were presented with this police complaint, which opens the realistic possibility of potentially very serious criminal charges against the nurse.
Sorry if this offends anyone...but I really like these police officers trying to play "Devil's Advocate" when someone has been punched in the face. If you were arguing with a POLICE OFFICER and was trying to make a point and just barely touched their chest with your index finger, they would run you in for assault of an officer.
I have a close friend that was arguing with his girlfriend...he was TAKEN TO JAIL...only because while they were arguing, he touched her shoulder as she was walking away in an effort to get her attention. He didn't grab her...he only touched her and when she said, "Don't touch me" he immediately took his hand away and apologized...in order to be vindictive, she still called the police (because she was one of those drama queens that likes to get the police involved). Officer only asked, "Did you touch her?" Not, "Was it aggressive?", not "Was it forceful", etc. When he was truthful about what happened..they were only concerned if he made contact with her body...at all.
Funny how the rules change depending on their personal motivation for how badly they want to make an arrest that day.
Ticks...me....off.
As a nurse, I am willing to take a certain degree because it "runs with the territory"...you may have someone in psychosis, someone thrashing that accidentally hits you, someone that has dementia that thinks you are there to hurt them, etc.
Yes, I have compassion for you...even if I get hurt.
But a sucker punch? Pushing me against the wall because you didn't like what I said? Trying to break my arm?
Sorry if this offends anyone...but I really like these police officers trying to play "Devil's Advocate" when someone has been punched in the face. If you were arguing with a POLICE OFFICER and was trying to make a point and just barely touched their chest with your index finger, they would run you in for assault of an officer.
I have a close friend that was arguing with his girlfriend...he was TAKEN TO JAIL...only because while they were arguing, he touched her shoulder as she was walking away in an effort to get her attention. He didn't grab her...he only touched her and when she said, "Don't touch me" he immediately took his hand away and apologized...in order to be vindictive, she still called the police (because she was one of those drama queens that likes to get the police involved). Officer only asked, "Did you touch her?" Not, "Was it aggressive?", not "Was it forceful", etc. When he was truthful about what happened..they were only concerned if he made contact with her body...at all.
Funny how the rules change depending on their personal motivation for how badly they want to make an arrest that day.
Ticks...me....off.
As a nurse, I am willing to take a certain degree because it "runs with the territory"...you may have someone in psychosis, someone thrashing that accidentally hits you, someone that has dementia that thinks you are there to hurt them, etc.
Yes, I have compassion for you...even if I get hurt.
But a sucker punch? Pushing me against the wall because you didn't like what I said? Trying to break my arm?
Oh H**LL no!!!! That....is where I draw the line.
The rules are actually pretty clear, a person is legally responsible for their decisions and actions when they are deemed legally responsible for their decisions and actions, this particular patient was specifically deemed not capable being responsible for their decisions and actions. It can't be both, either they are or they aren't.
MunoRN, RN
8,058 Posts
You're correct that violent restraints are a thing, but the restraint use in this case falls under medical restraints as they were placed to protect medical devices:
The legal basis for this is that the patient is deemed to not have the decision making capacity to decide whether or not they want the IV, in other words they don't have the ability to make decisions that they are legally responsible for. This is the problem with then filing a police complaint which is based on the premise that the patient is able to make decisions that they are legally responsible for.
It's not unheard of for patients to press charges for having restraints used on them when the required legal criteria was not met, but it's usually hard to prove that the nurse had determined the patient actually did have decisional capacity, this wouldn't be the case if the patient (and their lawyer) were presented with this police complaint, which opens the realistic possibility of potentially very serious criminal charges against the nurse.