When did it become ok for patients to do this

MrChicagoRN, RN · Mar 10, 2013

I had many younger female nurses on my floor. If there was was a problem I'd go in and have a subtle, or sometimes not so subtle chat with the patient. I'd also assign a male staff when possible if there was a continued problem, especially if there was a cognitive issue.

That was usually the end of it.

If your supervisor won't address it, then you escalate it up the chain of command

duskyjewel · Mar 10, 2013

If your supervisor won't address it, then you escalate it up the chain of command

It's not OK, of course, but management seems to attract more than its fair share of cowards. Do take it up the chain of command, and start using buzzwords like "hostile work environment" "lawyer" and "EEOC". If that doesn't get them moving, it's hopeless.

But you should be more assertive too. Are these patients A&O, or are they confused? If they are A&O, tell them that their comments are unacceptable and you won't put up with them anymore. If they are confused, chalk it up. Confused patients do weird, funny, and even horrifying things, and none of it is their fault.

At least you didn't have a cho mo ask you to bring your kids to work with you so he could "do them." That happened to a fellow CNA on the tele floor I used to work on, and the charge had to reassign that patient to a male nurse, who provided all care for the rest of the shift. (No male CNA on that night.) The girl he said that to said at first she was stunned, and then she was so angry that she had to get out of the room or she would kill him. He was completely A&O....just evil. :barf02:

elkpark · Mar 10, 2013

But you should be more assertive too. Are these patients A&O, or are they confused? If they are A&O, tell them that their comments are unacceptable and you won't put up with them anymore. If they are confused, chalk it up. Confused patients do weird, funny, and even horrifying things, and none of it is their fault.

^^ This.

mskrisCNA2bRN · Mar 10, 2013

Thanks you guys I really appreciate the help. I will be alerting the DON because these patients are both A&O and know exactly what they are saying to me

mskrisCNA2bRN · Mar 10, 2013

duskyjewel I cannot believe he said that to her that's awful

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · Mar 12, 2013

This is why I quit being a CNA in the 90s. I was only a kid, a few years out of high school and those dirty old men would make lewd comments. One offered me money to give him a b*&%job....ugh!

TurtleCat · Mar 12, 2013

That is awful and something no one should have to put up with. I don't care what anyone says, being sexually harassed or abused should never just be "part of a job." I'd read of nurses and CNAs being sexually harassed before and was always scared of it, however thankfully I never experienced much aside from some harmless/silly flirting.

i_love_patient_care · Mar 12, 2013

I've come across this a lot. As the above posters have said, make sure it isn't part of their condition. One guy in a facility I worked at stopped doing it when threatened to be cared for only by males by upper management. I'm usually very firm about it. "Now sir, that isn't the reason I'm here, please behave yourself" or "Please stop doing/saying that, it's inappropriate" I usually am pretty quick, so have never had anyone actually grab me, but many have tried >.

SaoirseRN · Mar 12, 2013

People like this feed on your discomfort. It encourages them to continue the behaviour because they are getting a reaction from you. The best way to end it yourself is to be assertive.

irisheyesRsmilin · Mar 12, 2013

Totally unacceptable behavior by those patients.

...I have had comments made at me, but it stopped quick when I explained that my husband is 6' and 245 farm boy who would have no problem coming in and discussing "professional boundaries" with them!

The offending patient never did that again!

fuzzywuzzy, CNA · Mar 14, 2013

It genuinely doesn't bother me when a demented person does this. I'd rather have that than combativeness. But the few times that an alert person had made comments... eww. It makes me glad that I work in a nursing home where even the rehab unit doesn't get a lot of men at all, never mind alert ones. But I used to get that kind of crap all the time as a cashier. A lot of men are like that in their daily life and get off on thinking that since you are "serving them" in a professional capacity that you don't have the power to do anything about it. They LIKE making you feel uncomfortable, and they LIKE the power differential. If they're truly not "like that" but are just making a comment because they're nervous about being in a position of needing something from you, then when you react with surprise or discomfort they will not do it again. If the dude is a jerk then he'll keep doing it and you need to try not to show how uncomfortable you are, and act like you do not notice or care. If they get more explicit after that, feel free to make a cutting, sarcastic remark, but again, don't get emotional about it, because that just eggs them on. You don't want them to think they're getting a rise out of you or making you feel degraded. I know that in this line of work you're supposed to be all nicey-nice and everything is considered abuse, BUT I can't imagine getting in trouble with the nurse for making a wise remark when an alert and oriented patient is sexually harassing you. I feel like in my experience nursing is a lot more supportive than supervisors in cashiering jobs (it's sad how much abuse you are expected to take in those jobs). If you outright insult the patient you will probably get spoken to about the appropriate way to deal with these situations. But I don't think there's anything wrong with saying, "Gee, too bad I'm not allowed to date patients because you're soooo charming!" or something like that.