Threatened by Patient Family

[Susan9608]

While helping a co-worker (so she could eat lunch) I was threatened by a patient's family; they made specific, violent treats towards me. I immediately reported this to my supervisor and one of our managers, plus the MD available in the unit.

The solution was to have this family therapist (who had been working with the family) come down and speak to them. She wanted to be "gentle" with them, since they are having a stressful time, and said she would approach the issue "through the back door." What she ended up saying to the family was that their "guy talk" was too much for the "young ladies" in the unit, and that they need to tone it down.

I was very upset. When I got home, I told my family about this situation, and my husband is incensed. He feels like they didn't take the situation seriously at all, and that at the very least, security should have been called, if not the police.

I don't feel particularly safe there, and my husband is concerned for my safety as well. There are no metal detectors at my hospital, plus security wasn't even made aware of the potential for a problem. But as far as my unit is concerned, the matter was taken care of by the therapist telling the family to "tone it down."

The therapist said that if the threats continue, she'll have a "family conference" with them to tell them it's not appropriate to talk to the staff that way.

I think this is all BS - that they are catering to this family at the expense of their staff. I'm ****** and fearful of these people, given what they said they want to do to me (and all of our nurses.) My husband doesn't want me to go back there unless the family is dealt with a little more stringently and unless security is at least notified that these people are a potential problem.

I don't know what to do ... if I should talk to my manager again or if we should go to security ourselves or what. Anyone been in this situation before? Thoughts?

[Psqrd]

I was once involved in an altercation with a fellow employee that hurled something at me and almost hit me...an assault...I did not call the police but rather let the managment take the reigns...he continued to work there. They thanked me for allowing them to handle it but hind site tells me that they did nothing. I should have called the police and pressed charges. I wonder what they would have done then...if you feel that you are still under threat go to the police and fill out a police report and specify that the individual made "terrorist threats". You will not be violating hippa as the patient is protected not the family. Let your employer figure out how to sweep that one under the rug when an investigator from the police shows up.

Unfortunately this does kill a potential career at this facility but sounds like you should not be working there if they treat these situations like this, remember its not just you at risk but your family. This is the interent age and it does not take much more than a credit card to get all the info that you need on someone. It is a common misconception that because they are patients that they can say or do anything they want to us..it needs to stop and it stops only with us and our not taking this BS anymore! I know at my hospital their is a line at the door for a bed so let them find health care elsewhere. It will be only a matter of time before no one will take care of their loved one.

Good luck

P2

[Straydandelion]

Verbal threats are abusive and usually someone seeking power IMO, I can understand in a way the family councilor, in order to even partially do her/his job, they must approach the family half-way hoping they will be amenable to this. After all, what else can she do? IF she had the facillity backing, she could threaten to no longer allow them in that hospital with threat of calling the police but I am guessing that she doesn't have the "power" to be able to do much but discuss/converse with these types of problems. In your situation, I would simply tell the supervisor honestly that you feel threatened and no longer want to take care of this patient even to help when someone goes to lunch and offer to work another floor if need to until this family leaves as a first step, of course paper trail and risk management for sure.

[RN1982]

Call risk management and make them aware of the situation. And let your manager know that you do not feel safe working there while that family/patient are still on the unit. You should report all threats against you to your manager and security. If it was me, I would have called security and had them speak with the family. If you get any more threats, screw the hospital, file a police report. Any hospital who does not properly deal with threats against staff should be held liable if anything should happen to their staff.

[meluhn]

I would have called the police right then and there. My next step would be to call risk managment. Tell them what happened, that I am documenting names, dates and times and that if anything happens to a nurse from this family all the information would be turned over to the proper authorities. Remind your HR that they have an obligation to provide a safe, nonhostile work environment. Then tell them also, names, times and dates being documented. Good luck, hon. I don't envy your battle.

Shay is absolutely right. You can also get a restraining order against them so that they can't come near the facility. I don't know if that would be helpful but you would definitely be well within your rights to do so.

[rngolfer53]

Don't send a therapist to do a cop's job.

Often, the problem behavior will continue unabated, and perhaps worsened as the therapist very efficiently conveys the message that what they're doing is perfectly fine, de facto, if not de jure: There will be no consequences for threatening the staff.

Look for another job, pronto. Kudos for your family for supporting you in this.

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

Wow, just think how rich your family will be after one of these bozos assaults you and your family sues your work place for ignoring threats.

It is hard to believe in this day and age that anyone would ignore violent threats.

Of course we don't know what the threats were, so maybe you are over-reacting.

Maybe not

I think you need to consult with a police man, or at least a lawyer to see if these people are breaking the law.

[DebanamRN, MSN, RN]

It upsets me that our supervisors seem to think that workplace violence is ok - just this past week, a tech had her thumb dislocated to where she needs surgery and a MRI tech was bitten. There is no excuse for this. The answer is to threaten to take our jobs instead of holding the responsible parties, well, responsible.

I would document what went on in a notebook and keep it safe. Also, look for another job. Enough is enough, and if you were frightened, than that is enough reason to leave.

[newohiorn, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

File a police report so there will be an official paper trail. A report is simply that--it doesn't necessarily lead to any charges etc. I filed a police report when a patient touched me inappropriately just so that the next time the jack*** did it there would be a report of prior similar behavior.

As others have said I would speak to your supervisor and say that you do not feel safe (and perhaps that you don't think your co-workers are safe either based on what was said). I would ask them to involve risk management. However, don't forget that risk management works to protect the hospital--not necessarily to protect you. When my patient touched me inappropriately risk management was only helpful up to a certain point and then they sort of stonewalled me. Look up the HIPPA law--there are exceptions for things like this--should be even less relevant since your case involves family members rather than the patient. Be polite but firm with your supervisor, risk management, etc. They most likely prefer to sweep these things under the rug and it can be easy to intimidate us when we are already a bit shaken by the threat. I would not make threats about getting a lawyer (unless it really comes to that) but I would make sure that they know that I know I have a right to a safe workplace. You don't have to threaten to get a lawyer for them to understand that you are bright enough to know you have rights and a backbone to insist they be respected.

Trust your instincts. If you truly feel threatened by these people, do what you need to do to protect yourself regardless of what the hospital is doing (i.e. don't walk to your car alone, etc.). I would continue to press for more aggressive action from your workplace--see what they do. If they do not respond in a way that is satisfactory to you, start quietly looking for another job--while protecting yourself.

P.S. Sorry this has happened to you--I know how unnerving it is. I'm glad you have your husband's support. Good luck.

[BeckysMom1952]

The response by your hospital is complete BS. On our floor we've stopped being nice. Threaten once and you're out- we call security and you're escorted out, and if need be, visitors to that patient are stopped completely. Threats of physical violence are called to the police. They're having a stressful time my butt, what about you? Their stress does not allow degrading caregivers with insults and threats. Now I'm completely PO'd. If I were you I'd find another job ASAP. If they allow you to be walked on like this, it'll continue.

[Susan9608]

Thanks so much for the support and advice!

My husband has been wonderfully supportive and says that if the management doesn't take a stronger stance, then I'll just work some where else and "[bleep] them."

I put a call in to my manager today, asking her to call me to discuss ongoing concerns I have about the situation. My husband is going to come with me to talk to her, and he said that if she won't intervene, he'll go to security himself. He also wants to file a restraining order, but I'm not sure how that would work with me continuing to work there and the family continuing to want to see their child.

It's not so much that I want to ban them from seeing their child (though I do think the grandfather should have been asked to leave), it's that I want to feel safe. I'm afraid they'll go ballistic when the child dies or gets worse and there will be nothing in place to protect us.

I've already gone on record stating I will not care for child anymore.

We'll see what comes from talking to my manager.

[Magsulfate, BSN, RN]

So it is inevitable that this patient will die? If it is in your hospital,, you are worried that the grandfather (especially him) will come unglued and do god knows what ... I totally see your concern, and fear.. you should not have to worry about this, but the hospital adm is not doing their job to protect you and your coworkers.

I hope that something good comes out of this.. please do talk and keep trying to fix this,, before the child dies...

[robred]

Unfortunately, likely due to whatever emotional angst the family members are enduring while their child is seriously ill, you have been assaulted ("specific, violent threats angainst me"). My opinion is that you should avoid involving the management and file a police report today. My heart truly goes out to you...if you do a search here, you will find time and again in which a violent act was perpetrated by an upset family member. Even JCAHO has taken this seriously as they only recently released a requirement for all acute health care facilities to develop plans to manage hostile work environments in our hospitals.... http://www.jointcommission.org/SentinelEvents/SentinelEventAlert/sea_40.htm . While this addresses the issues of hostile environments among staff/physicians, etc. it shows the seriousness of violence in our emotionally-laden workplaces. Please let us know what your future holds for you.