Threatened by family?

Specialties Private Duty

Published

Have any of you been threatened by a family...seriously threatened or even jokingly?

Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.

Even more scary is that most agencies have a policy preventing us from carrying any sort of protection. I think we should at least be able to have protection in our car. I guess it will take something happening to a nurse and the nurse suing the agency to gave that policy change too.

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After I was assaulted I started sleeping with my protection and I didn't care who knew it.

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Specializes in Home Health (PDN), Camp Nursing.

I was not threatened directly. But the parent was a former LEO, and made it clear to me as one person with training to another that they had me disadvantaged. I spoke to the day nurse, who advised me to google the parents name. The news articles were enlightening and the entire disagreement that kicked everything off was so minor, that I knew it would work there so I left.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

A few years ago a pdn nurse in Michigan was murdered as a result of a home invasion robbery.

In California, convicted felons are allowed to work as caregivers and in fact are paid by the state. That includes rape, assault, etc. It's outrageous.

Here's a 2010 LA Times article about it. As far as I know nothing has changed since then.

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/sep/24/local/la-me-homecare-20100924

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
A few years ago a pdn nurse in Michigan was murdered as a result of a home invasion robbery.

Do you have any info about this? I follow the news pretty closely, and don't recall this incident, so I tried googling it to learn more about it but didn't have any luck.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Do you have any info about this? I follow the news pretty closely, and don't recall this incident, so I tried googling it to learn more about it but didn't have any luck.

I do. An AN member who knew this nurse posted the story.

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/general-news/20100129/nurse-killed-while-visiting-detroit-patient

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
I do. An AN member who knew this nurse posted the story.

Nurse killed while visiting Detroit patient

Thanks, I wasn't getting anything when I was googling.

Such a tragic situation...

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Specializes in Pediatric.
Yes. Just recently. Dad made some comments while holding a knife. Tried to play it off as a joke later then gave me the "it's my word against yours" crap. Yeah no thanks...I don't need that nonsense.[/quote']

Oh my dear goodness gracious!! It sounds like you handled it BEYOND well...and thank GOD you didn't go back!!!

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Fellow humans, women, nurses, ANYTIME you feel threatened with physical harm, please call the police.

If someone is holding a knife and making comments to you that make you feel uncomfortable, call the police. Its better to be alive than dead.

OP: did you explain the whole thing to your agency?

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After he finally went to bed, I wrote out a very detailed account of what happened. I explained it all to the agency...they didn't seem too upset or surprised. They said they could take me off case once they found someone to replace me.

Um...nope! I'm done. I started searching for a new agency...thankfully, found one and will start next week. Guess I should have known a "minimum" agency couldn't care less about nurse safety...it's all about the money.

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Specializes in Pediatric.

The way these agencies treat us/refuse to back us up sickens and shocks me....

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The way these agencies treat us/refuse to back us up sickens and shocks me....

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I agree. And WE are the moneymakers for them!

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