When patients attack

Ella Halligan RN · Jan 8, 2011

I've had confused patients grab my wrist hard, and I've been fought with by my share of toddlers and preschoolers... but no, no real assault.

Although the hospital I work at had a major issue about two or three years ago where a prisoner who was there overpowered their guard (or something like that) by hitting them with their tele pack, got their gun, and started shooting. I don't think anyone got hurt, but you can still see some of the bullet holes in the walls. (Thank heaven for really old, really solid block construction!!!)

And we had a patient's father in our peds area a few years back who grabbed one of the nurses by her scrub top and hauled her over the counter when he found out we got his soon to be ex wife and child safely away from him.

Elisabeth Halligan, RN

Ciale · Jan 8, 2011

And we had a patient's father in our peds area a few years back who grabbed one of the nurses by her scrub top and hauled her over the counter when he found out we got his soon to be ex wife and child safely away from him.
Elisabeth Halligan, RN

What an asshat. I would have to fight the urge to go ballistic on that guy. :mad:

enchantmentdis, BSN, RN · Jan 8, 2011

A little old lady had a bm and was digging in her diaper. The minute i cried "Oh, don't do that, you're making a mess!!", she dug her talons into my arm and drew blood. Bowel movement was underneath her fingernails. Just once i wanted to stangle her. :eek:

Ella Halligan RN · Jan 8, 2011

What an asshat. I would have to fight the urge to go ballistic on that guy.

Unfortunately, we knew him to be heavily armed. We got security (ours were actual officers with guns, joy of being an inner city county hospital) there quickly and they escorted him off. It was a weird few days... we had armed guards at the entrance of our unit.

sevensonnets · Jan 8, 2011

This did not happen to me but I witnessed it. We had this guy on the vent who even restrained managed to grab his nurse's breast and was twisting it. We were all trying to pry his fingers loose but he held on tighter. The nurse just calmly reached down and ever so slightly almost imperceptibly gave the teeniest tiniest little tug on his foley. After we scraped him off the ceiling he agreed that he would never ever try such a thing again. He was on his best behaviour till we shipped him out to stepdown.

Katie5 · Jan 8, 2011

I'd say get out of their path...or react if harm is their intent.

Katie5 · Jan 8, 2011

A little old lady had a bm and was digging in her diaper. The minute i cried "Oh, don't do that, you're making a mess!!", she dug her talons into my arm and drew blood. Bowel movement was underneath her fingernails. Just once i wanted to stangle her.

How close were you?If she was already making a mess, I'm sure I wouldn't have been that close... at first.

Katie5 · Jan 8, 2011

Several times. Worst was a drunk female as we were trying to restrain her, just took aim and gave me a face full of foot. No broken bones, no uglier than before. Tried to file charges, cops blew it off.

Cracked me up good. :yeah:

lrobinson5 · Jan 8, 2011

I've had confused patients grab my wrist hard, and I've been fought with by my share of toddlers and preschoolers... but no, no real assault.
Although the hospital I work at had a major issue about two or three years ago where a prisoner who was there overpowered their guard (or something like that) by hitting them with their tele pack, got their gun, and started shooting. I don't think anyone got hurt, but you can still see some of the bullet holes in the walls. (Thank heaven for really old, really solid block construction!!!)
And we had a patient's father in our peds area a few years back who grabbed one of the nurses by her scrub top and hauled her over the counter when he found out we got his soon to be ex wife and child safely away from him.
Elisabeth Halligan, RN

I have always wondered, in situations like this what is an appropriate response? Are you still okay legally if you fight back? I don't know if self-defense counts if it is a patient under your care.

Dalzac, LPN, LVN, RN · Jan 8, 2011

The first time was when I was emptying a foley bag and my sweet LOL jumped up and was standing in the middle of her bed She took her foley out and began whipping it on my head as hard as she could while she was calling me Satans' wife. and the second time was I was helping my coworker restrain a little old man We had his arms dow but he kicked me right behind my ear with razorclaws for toenails. That one got me 3 stitchs behind the ear

After my coworkers stopped laughing on the the beating with the rubber hose they came in and saved me. With the kick behind the ear we put him in 4 point restraints and I went down to ER and had my head stitched up. I do have to tell you when you hear about being beaten with a rubber hose and how bad it hurts they aren't kidding.

heelhook80 · Jan 11, 2011

This did not happen to me but I witnessed it. We had this guy on the vent who even restrained managed to grab his nurse's breast and was twisting it. We were all trying to pry his fingers loose but he held on tighter. The nurse just calmly reached down and ever so slightly almost imperceptibly gave the teeniest tiniest little tug on his foley. After we scraped him off the ceiling he agreed that he would never ever try such a thing again. He was on his best behaviour till we shipped him out to stepdown.

I take my hat off to that nurse, sounds like she handled that perfectly which would be extremely difficult given the situation.

enchantmentdis, BSN, RN · Jan 11, 2011

How close were you?If she was already making a mess, I'm sure I wouldn't have been that close... at first.

I was actually trying to clean her up, had gloves, etc on. And I was in there because the cna was nowhere in site. Haven't you ever had a demented pt reach into her diaper while trying to clean her? They are just like an infant. It's kinda hard to clean a pt up by not getting close, lol.