we are seeing an increase in violence in our ed. we are a 450 bed tertiary medical center in maine where this has not been a problem. the administration says that they care, but nothing seems to be getting done. we have had some injuries, 2 requiring surgery. what protocols do you have in place? are there ways to file complaints to have them heard? we have a union, but few are reluctant to file a grievance with them. i want to know how to broach this to make a statement and make the administration know that this will not be tolerated.
In our ER we have what is called Non-violent Crisis Intervention training. It's a class designed to teach the staff how to get out of a situation before it gets to the point of violence.
I took the whole class, including the instructor's course, so I teach this class. In the full class we learned how to do non-violent restraint techniques that allows the patient to be physically restrained but not harmed.
I don't teach my staff that as I don't feel like it is our job to restrain someone; all I want us to know how to do is to nip the situation in the bud, and if it gets to the point of violence, then I want our staff to know how to get out of the situation and get away from anyone that is attempting to harm them.
If anyone is interested in this training you can get information at:
Two points, first off, non violent crisis training is good to a cetain point. It may help in some cases, however, in situations where you may have someone high on say PCP, crank, and other drugs, or is extremely paranoid and/or delusional, it comes down to brut force to restrain someone. Hopefully the patient will not get hurt. Sure technique is important, and so is lots of prcatice, but I laugh when I take these courses, like 4 or 8 hours of classwork is not going to prepare you for the real thing. It is unfortunate, but often times an employee gets injuried b/c of another employees mistake (say they cannot hold the patient's leg or arm and he/she then hits anothyer employee w/ that limb. It is important to know how to escape and avoid dangerous situations while at work, but despite your best efforts, things happen.
Secondly, yes in the ideal world we would not have to restrain but it is rare to work in an ER and (as an RN) not be involved in restraining patients.
I assist with restraining patients when I need to, but our hospital paid for several of us to have that training and I think the best thing that comes out of it is how to escape when someone is grabbing you or throwing something at you. It also goes hand in hand with teaching that I have had before in relation to dealing with people period. I thought it was interesting, but got tedious after the fourth 8 hour day!
I just think that taking a patient down isn't a nurse's job; we have security and the police if we need them. I am there to take care of patients, and if I get hurt by someone then I am of no use to the rest of my patients.
Oh well, at least I'm not in the back of an ambulance with them anymore!
Hmm....isn't there something in the OSHA statutes about employers having to provide a safe work enviroment? I think we have as much a right to not get hurt on the job as any office worker. Assault is a criminal offense...if you have to file a police report on pts who come in because they were beat up, why not for yourself? Imagine what people would do if you showed up at their workplace, drunk and abusive? They'd be the first to throw your ass out and call the police.
I'm thinking that if you could establish that your hospital has not attempted to maintain a safe environment, that could be grounds for a lawsuit....perhaps a class action, even. You can file a grievance with OSHA, who will come and investigate...but the real teeth lies in civil suits. They'll have marines with machine guns at triage if it starts getting expensive.
Screw a masters in nursing, I'm going to law school!!!!!!
The security guards at my facility are legally "special police" with guns, blackjacks, and arrest powers - none of which they hesitate to use. They tend to keep a low profile, but when trouble breaks out, they come pouring out of the woodwork. Gotta love those guys!
The security guards at my facility are legally "special police" with guns, blackjacks, and arrest powers - none of which they hesitate to use. They tend to keep a low profile, but when trouble breaks out, they come pouring out of the woodwork. Gotta love those guys!
Our security guards are actually sworn police officers, carry guns, billy clubs, and are trained to use them. Everyone must go thru a metal detector, and all purses, bags, etc are searched. They back us up 100%. I love and adore them, and tell them that every chance I get.
It still never fails to amaze me how polite the most crazy;drunk;confused;angry pt can become when I have 2 officers with guns on their hips standing behind me.
I'm all for nonviolence and in fantasy land, nurses aren't responsible for taking down and restraining. However, I live in the real world of an urban, level one trauma center and some of my customers (clients, whatever else we're calling them today - used to be patients) are kinda nasty. Especially after ingesting cocaine, meth, PCP, etc...
The security guards at my facility are legally "special police" with guns, blackjacks, and arrest powers - none of which they hesitate to use. They tend to keep a low profile, but when trouble breaks out, they come pouring out of the woodwork. Gotta love those guys!
I'm coming to Ohio to work!!!
Our security...well like I posted on another thread...I could take them and I am WAY outta shape!
One guard is retired PD...so he's a big guy...but not exactly as aggressive as I'ld like him to be. The rest...OMG.
I usually don't mess around...someone out of control...call in my friends in blue!!
Also, whoever posted about filing charges..right on. No one would tolerate the kind of abuse we are subjected to in any other environment. My job is to save your sorry a$$ just long enough for you to chill in a nice jail cell...
You have REAL security guards with weapons and not afraid to use them? AND they come running??? Wow. Must be nice!!!
We have old men, young guys the size of my ten year old niece, and girls. The girls are meaner than any of the men, they act ferocious but I don't know how much physical help they really are.
And we had a mugging in the parking garage once. Took the two old men security guards twenty minutes to get there, the muggers were gone, the employees ran them off AND got the lady's purse back! :rotfl:
harry Krishna
67 Posts
Two points, first off, non violent crisis training is good to a cetain point. It may help in some cases, however, in situations where you may have someone high on say PCP, crank, and other drugs, or is extremely paranoid and/or delusional, it comes down to brut force to restrain someone. Hopefully the patient will not get hurt. Sure technique is important, and so is lots of prcatice, but I laugh when I take these courses, like 4 or 8 hours of classwork is not going to prepare you for the real thing. It is unfortunate, but often times an employee gets injuried b/c of another employees mistake (say they cannot hold the patient's leg or arm and he/she then hits anothyer employee w/ that limb. It is important to know how to escape and avoid dangerous situations while at work, but despite your best efforts, things happen.
Secondly, yes in the ideal world we would not have to restrain but it is rare to work in an ER and (as an RN) not be involved in restraining patients.