Such a bad rap

[Simply Complicated]

I got a transfer to psych, I start in 2 weeks. Everyone seems to have an opinion. I can't count how many times I've been told to be careful, or asked if I am crazy.. don't I know I can get seriously hurt? It's like people think I'm going to get beat up every day or something. I'm not naive enough to think that it can't be dangerous. But I did a lot of research before making this decision. From what I can tell, as long as the place has protocols in place, that are followed, and you use your training when interacting with the patients, the risk is pretty low.

I've been bit, scratched, kicked, slapped across the face, all on M/S floors. At least in a behavioral health facility they plan for this kind of behavior. Did everyone else get this type reaction when people heard this was the field they chose to work in? I'm very excited about this new opportunity, I really don't want to hear people try and freak me out. I usually just tell them, thanks for the warning, I will be trained and I will be careful.

[AltaEnfermera]

You might want to tell that to the nurses I have worked with that include 3 broken noses, a broken leg, broken tailbone, bilateral knee damage and numerous bruises, scratches and bites. FWIW there have been two staff members in my area, both techs I think, that were killed by psychiatric patients. I'm not saying we are in more danger than other dangerous professions but imvho psych nursing does have its risks and that is something that we need to be aware of and at peace with before we sign on. If staff isn't willing or able to physically assist their coworkers that are getting assaulted I don't want them on my unit. The plus side is that we do know how to handle these situations and are able to head most of them off prior to anyone getting seriously hurt. Its the nature of the business.

P.S. wanted to add that despite the above I LOVE psych nursing and can't imagine doing anything else.

Ditto. I worked for 2 years in a correctional center clinic, and despite the fact that ALL of my patients were convicted felons, I never once felt threatened, let alone assaulted by my patients. When I returned to psych, I made it 4 whole days before getting socked in the ribs during an attempt to separate 2 fighting residents. It is dangerous, but as you said, completely worth it :)

[totally_nuts]

tell that to the ironworker i knew who fell 3 stories on a construction site DRT. tell that to the ironworker i knew who was hit square in the top of the head with a 6" long 1" diameter bolt that fell 8 stories DRT. tell that to the steelworker i knew who had a hand amputated after his sleeve got caught up in a power roller. tell that to the ironworker i knew who had half of his hand crushed in a chain while lifting a 3 ton beam with a crane assist. these are the deaths and some of the serious injuries i have personally seen while managing crews. myself? i can't count the stitches and broken bones. do i talk about it much? only when people raise the issue.

Can we not have a ***** session about this? Yes those jobs are dangerous but they are usually freak accidents. Nurses and police officers get hurt more frequently from what I have seen.

[justashooter]

Nurses and police officers get hurt more frequently from what I have seen.

try working in the real world for awhile.

[AltaEnfermera]

try working in the real world for awhile.

I agree that other jobs ARE intrinsically dangerous by their nature, maybe moreso than nursing. This isn't meant to be a p**sing contest between healthcare and other jobs.

But I think the point everyone is trying to make is that the risks/dangers involved in nursing don't come from accidental injury (Excepting workplace injuries like back strain, et al.) We face a whole different brand of risk, namely that imposed by dealing with potentially violent and volatile clientele in very vulnerable positions, with little security and/or legal means to defend ourselves besides getting the h*ll out of the way. That, plus the notion that because we're nurses/doctors/etc, patients have carte blanche to be abusive, gives nursing a unique set of occupational hazards.

So in summation, maybe a better statement would be "Nursing is one of the most dangerous professions in regard to assault/physical abuse, etc." :)

[sarmedic70]

JulesA writer is so right. Yeup, tell that to my staff too who have also had countless injuries due to our patients (again, I have one of the most violent units in our state psych facility). There are times, staff just didn't approach the patient in the right way. As with a caged/cornered animal, patients at times have the same reactions............and as a result, that is when staff get hurt. Vice just waiting it out for a bit, geting the rest of the patients out of the milieu, having enough staff (or campus police) to assist, etc. No matter, though, being is psych is very dangerous overall; however one of THE most rewarding specialty areas IMHO. And nursing HAS become a more dangerous profession to the point that the ANA, APNA and ENA have been addressing this more aggressively than ever on all levels............between later-to-lateral violence to violence inflicted upon nurses by either patients or relatives, etc. The reason it is not on the "Top 10" listing of the most dangerous professions is that there had not been that awareness made until relatively recently. At any rate, psych nursing is fantastic and I, too, cannot imagine doing anything else (except ER since I am also in EMS).