is there something wrong with using the word combative?

I agree there's a difference. Sorry, but when a patient takes a swing at you(and I have had this happen), that's combative. I don't see how anyone could say otherwise..

I use the terms that fit the incident. If the facility wants to pretty it up, fine, but I will chart what happened. It's like the PC bug has gone pandemic. You can't call an obese person obese because it creates a stigma. You can't call a spade a spade anymore because you might hurt its feelings. Craziest thing I've ever seen.

You don't say.

Obese = Increased BMI or Overabundant Adipose Tissue

Combative = Influenced by overstimulating environment.

Yeah.

Whatever.

"You can't call an obese person obese because it creates a stigma."

snort. Obese is the word the politically correct police came up with because it didn't have the stigma plain old fat had. Whatever words replace obese will pick up stigma just about as fast as they become accepted as the terms to use.

I think there are two different points being argued in this thread. I agree that "combative" is a term that is both accurate and useful enough to be used for charting, instead of muddying the waters trying to come up with a more PC description. However, I can also see that from the POV of a non-medical family member, it could be very distressing to hear the term applied to their loved one, which is what the OP's management was trying to point out. I'd categorize it with all the other clinical terminology that you wouldn't use for family members, and try instead explaining that the patient was, perhaps, "agitated" or "upset."

"You can't call an obese person obese because it creates a stigma."

snort. Obese is the word the politically correct police came up with because it didn't have the stigma plain old fat had. Whatever words replace obese will pick up stigma just about as fast as they become accepted as the terms to use.

So true.

Combative can mean a lot of different things to some one who is not educated in the medical field. While it may carry clear connotations of a patients demeanor to you, when it comes to an average joe it's open to interpretation.

Example, some one with prior military experience would perceive combative as a seriously hostile gesture - nobody wants to hear that about their loved ones.

I guess it's a thin line, but I would think there are more constructive ways to describe the condition of a persons wife to them.

I would document, ' pt became combative as evident by__________' (what ever behaviors that were displayed,; and who was present during this episode, as well as what was done (security called, restraints applied, etc...)

No need to sugar coat it.

It would be less controversial to document the action:

Ms. X forcefully hit Nurse Y in the nose with her left fist. Nurse Y sustained a facial fracture and laceration. Ms. X was removed from the area kicking at staff and scratched 3 security officers on both forearms with the fingernails of both hands. Ms. X had ecchymosis 3 cm x 4 cm on the left dorsal hand after the incident, was examined by Dr. Z and admitted to behavioral health.

Welcome to PC world, where never the truth shall be spoken.

Ms.X sure can pack a big can of whoop-@ss, erroridiot!!

Your charting is perfect.

Finally did somethin' rite!

Golly, thanks for the whoop-@ss compliment!

So that means that my charting is a better choice than the word combative?