Violent Sex Offender on our unit (long)...

[SheriLynnRN]

I work on a surgical unit, and we currently have a pt who is a registered "level 3" sex offender, designated as a "sexually violent predator." He was released from prison about a year ago after serving three years for the rape of a teenaged girl. According to the sex offender registry web site he was determined to be very likely to reoffend.

I expect that he will be a pt on our unit for at least another week or two, he's already been there 2 wks or so. He's got GI issues, TPN, that sort of thing.

Recently, his parole officer had to be called to come to the unit and confiscate a disposable camera that he was using to take pictures of staff, specifically the young female nurses and CNAs. At first he was asking permission, saying that he really appreciated the care he was getting, wanted to remember us, etc. Then he started snapping pics without warning. Before this incident, his history hadn't been communicated to everyone, so a lot of the staff had no reason to be suspicious of him.

The past few days, it has really been creeping me out to be on the unit. He is taking his doctor's order to ambulate a little overboard in my opinion. He walks the loop around our unit for an hour every shift. I'm not exaggerating, he has stated that he is timing himself for an hour. While he is walking, it seems to me that he is intently watching everything. A few days ago, we had a young female pt, and he kept stopping at her room to talk. Her nurse made a point to go in the room and interrupt each time, but we couldn't warn her about him.

Our nurse manager has assigned male nurses and CNA's to him as much as possible, and female staff are not supposed to enter his room alone, always in pairs and keep the door open if possible, just shut the curtain. We were also given permission to remove our badges before going in, because they have our last names on them.

Personally, I would feel safer if a security officer were posted outside his door. This guy is physically ill, but he is not incompacitated. He certainly has the ability to hurt someone if he wants to.

I feel like I am constantly looking over my shoulder, especially later in the evenings when it is quieter and we dim the hall lights.

Has anyone else had this experience? How did your unit handle it?

[ms mimi]

talk to the NM or security, or someone. tell them the situation, just let somebody know what is going on. dont keep quiet. wouldn't that be horrible if something were to happen and you look back and did't say anything. and remeber your first instinct serves you well, don't ignore it, it is there for a reason. and i would be horrified to be that patient that that man is talking to. she probly has no idea and thinks that she is perfectly safe in the hospital, and lets keep it that way!

[NurseCard, ADN]

originally posted by lpn,rnnow

i think that you need to remember he did his time. he may be at greater risk to be a repeat offender, so take precautions, but placing a security guard there would be an invasion of his privacy. i would continue to monitor him when he is doing his laps around the unit, monitor his interactions.

what a beautiful family! what a big little baby

what??

i believe daye was commenting on the link to her new baby that lpn,rn now puts in her signature. :)

anyway, to comment on the topic at hand... i don't know that you can even keep a security guard at the door of someone who is technically "free". did you say this person is on parole? is a security guard often used for someone who is on parole?

if it were me, i'd just keep a close, close eye on him. keep all badges turned around. keep him away from the young female patients.

i wonder if it is appropriate to just warn all of the young female patients on the ward about him? not tell them his name or anything, just simply describe him and ask them to avoid allowing him to engage them in conversation?

[Altra, BSN, RN]

I don't know that you can even keep a security guard at the door of someone who is technically "free". Did you say this person is on parole? Is a security guard often used for someone who is on parole?

The hospital is private property, and hospital-employed security staff are not law enforcement. Just as in any other building, the facility's management has the right to post security wherever they see fit.

We have hospital sitters who are assigned to patients who simply need a pair of eyes on them at all times - those who have expressed suicidal ideation, confused elderly who may start pullings at lines, etc. Security staff watch anyone who poses a potential threat to the environment. IMO this patient falls into this category, not simply because he is a sex offender, but because of his behavior on the unit, particularly the picture-taking.

I wouldn't go out of my way to broadcast it, but it does not violate his right to privacy to inform others of his sex offender status - it is a matter of public record.

[glenwood]

I remember a patient that after he was discharged came back to our unit repeatedly. We would find him in the supply room at 2AM or going through the medicine carts. It was pretty scary. Hospitals can be dangerous places.

[NurseCard, ADN]

The hospital is private property, and hospital-employed security staff are not law enforcement. Just as in any other building, the facility's management has the right to post security wherever they see fit.

We have hospital sitters who are assigned to patients who simply need a pair of eyes on them at all times - those who have expressed suicidal ideation, confused elderly who may start pullings at lines, etc. Security staff watch anyone who poses a potential threat to the environment. IMO this patient falls into this category, not simply because he is a sex offender, but because of his behavior on the unit, particularly the picture-taking.

I wouldn't go out of my way to broadcast it, but it does not violate his right to privacy to inform others of his sex offender status - it is a matter of public record.

Yeah, I can see, if you have the extra staff available, having a CNA or someone sit outside of the patient's room and just kinda watch him. I was talking more about a licensed officer, I guess, because at my hospital we generally do NOT have the extra staff for 1:1's and so we very very rarely have them.

Ah well. No matter. Yes, having one person keep tabs on that patient and what he is up to, would be a good thing.

[SilentfadesRPA]

This has to go to the legal dept of the hospital administration and the hospital psych dept for an evaluation. Is his private MD not aware ? Is this all documented.

This guy is acting out all over the place and it seems like the uppers are not recognizing this. I never realized how deviously cunning persons could be until I did some prison work in a federal medical clinic.

Please do not underevaluate this situation do not allow your managment to minimize this.

I would never allow 1/1 by a nurse or cna -- suggest to have the hospital pay for an off duty police officer to sit with him 24/7. You sure can have a paid off duty police officer sit in a hall outside the door of a patient even if he is not under arrest.

It is for his safety so that he does not act out as well as for the staff -- it is called security and the facility can decide if on occasions they want more trained persons instead of usual security.

This does not preclude an anonymous call to his parole office should you not feel protected enough -- level three sex offender is also a sociopath or with similar personality features.

Another example of nurses not being protected in thier own work place !!! GRRRRRRRRRRR.

What other professions or administration would put up with this with no other interventions ?

Do what you have to do to take care of yourself and remember he is not on parole for missing Sunday school.

Marc

[leslie :-D]

i would think that social services would be better suited to handle this.

leslie

[barbyann]

Protect yourself and your patients from this situation. Speak with the Head of Security each shift. Ask them what you should do if he gets "lost", if he gets visitors, if he makes creepy statements/comments. Get him dc'd ASAP.

[LoriAlabamaRN]

I would suggest that a plainclothed security or police officer sit INSIDE his room but OUTSIDE the curtain. That way Joe Public isn't seeing someone stationed with him, and the man still has his privacy. The mere presence ought to shape him up, and the officer would just look like another visitor.

Just MHO.

[Daye]

originally posted by lpn,rnnow

i think that you need to remember he did his time. he may be at greater risk to be a repeat offender, so take precautions, but placing a security guard there would be an invasion of his privacy. i would continue to monitor him when he is doing his laps around the unit, monitor his interactions.

what a beautiful family! what a big little baby

what??

gosh that was sure messed up on my part!!!! i don't know what happened everyone i am so sorry about that big oops. there was a hyperlink from another poster who had pics of her three children her new baby born just a few months ago weighed 9 pounds something...that is what that was all; about please accept my apologies i will be more careful in the future :lol_hitti :selfbonk:

[explorer]

I'm sure the reason that they haven't had a security guard on the unit is because he is a free man. I am glad that we know his history. As far as i know, none of us have broached the subject with him, but he must know that we are aware, since his parole officer was called to confiscate the camera.

He stops at the nurse's station during his walks, and cracks stupid jokes with a weird grin on his face.

I know I am being less than professional about this, but it just bothers me. We can't possibly monitor him all the time. When he's at his home, his neighbors have been notified that he lives there, they have the right to be aware. What about all the unsuspecting people who are sharing a hospital floor with him? I know, I know, right to privacy, etc.

When he became a violent sex offender, he gave up his right to

privacy.

[sanctuary, BSN, MSN, RN]

Given the facts that patients in the hospital are already in a compromised position, that doors can be closed and blocked, that by wandering around he is becoming familiar to all the other patients (a typical ploy) and the generally creepy feeling that you are getting, tell his PO that you expect him/her to provide the highest level of protection to the employees and other patients. If that means a full time guard (rent a cop type) then that's what it means. Class three usually means violence to strangers, so he is the greatest threat possible. Act on your instincts, ASAP.