Help! Tonight I was assisting a nurse in dropping an NG tube. Patient was combative to the fact that it hurt. "Yes dear, they do hurt but we must do this since you took 70 or so miscellaneous pills." Attempted several times to drop the tube, she kept closing her throat. Dr. was informed as was the whole ER by her screaming, He walked in the room, began yelling..."we are going to do this one of 2 ways, My way or Your way. You can fight all you want (the pt. had her head in her hands over emesis basin, crying). Since we can't do it your way will we do it my way"...he proceeded to grab her by the hair and the chin, picked her up off the bed and slammed her back into the back of the bed and she is screaming bloody murder. The other RN and I backed away from the bed and said "I am outta here, we are not going to do this to her".
We informed the charge nurse of the incident. Now what? Do we go to the DON and the head of the ER? THis doc is not a regular staff doc, he works PRN shifts. Can I be held liable for his actions on the patient? The pt. never said anything and never did get the NG tube but several charcoal slurries.
I was and still am very upset by this incident. I am sure I will be called in and questioned about this and will not lie for the dr. I am here to help the pt. (no matter if they deserve a diploma in stupidity) not hurt them or be an accomplice in assault and battery.
Any one else ever been witness to this and what happened to you or what did you do? :angryfire
True True Critter, it is easier to re-read than to get into a whole other knock-down drag-out fight about the things that you noted keep coming up - some issues do seem to be perennial!!!
I have also tried to note the date of the post when I look at it - but I still forget sometimes.
Ahhh........I noticed that feature but never paid attention to the dates. Brian? Can we fix this?
Well, nothing is broke to fix, it is indeed a new feature. Probably helps those who come specifically looking for information and the "similar" threads can be helpful. I have noticed an increase in old threads being bumped up. If you're unhappy with it and would like to make a request for it to change back, notify Brian through the help desk here: https://allnurses.com/forums/f128/
Or PM him. He isn't able to read each and every post (which is why he has mods) so he might not see your request in this thread.
Specializes in Addictions, Corrections, QA/Education.
I was taught that if we see abuse and do nothing we are just as guilty
I was taught the same thing.
I would report it. I wouldnt warn either... just follow chain of command and report it. The patient deserves the right not to be put in that position anymore.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
This is hard, because it was a difficult patient and also, there is a concern for negative charting. I would begin by speaking to the powers that be and share your intention of writing it up. Hard to say, because the hospital culture usually supports the physician moreso than nurses. I can easily see that it would be covered up because it was a doctor, also. But, as others stated, it could be our mother, child, spouse or friend. How is that addressed then? We would raise sand! I was not there, I can't say the severity, but it was enough for the OP to be concerned. Sad...
Wow, this thread is over three years old. Wonder whatever happened in the end?
this was indeed unfortunate. i understand completely that a patient who has overdosed on over 73 pills in a suicide attempt is most definitely incompetent and must be treated. it was mentioned in one of the earlier posts that chemical restraint is a far better solution than fighting with this patient to place a NG tube, which i understand is a nasty procedure even with a competent patient and the best of circumstances. ingesting over 70 unprescribed pills is indicative that this woman was emotionally troubled and had very deep personal problems. in my own case, being very severely claustrophobic, i could not tolerate being held down and restrained to have a procedure done which i was NOT refusing, only that i could not handle the way they wanted to accomplish it. i feel that using force to overpower these poor unfortunate patients is very traumatic and demeaning. i have no quarrel with the requirement that they be treated, only with the method used. i feel that sedation is a far better choice than force, and procedure could be done safely with no threat of injury to the patient. comments please!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Diary/Dairy, RN
1,785 Posts
True True Critter, it is easier to re-read than to get into a whole other knock-down drag-out fight about the things that you noted keep coming up - some issues do seem to be perennial!!!
I have also tried to note the date of the post when I look at it - but I still forget sometimes.