Sorry I've been so bad about posting lately...work has been so busy and nuts that I don't want to think about it, let alone write about it when I'm not there!
Apparently I'm in a spot of trouble because a patient (who happened to be a retired nursing supervisor) sent in a complaint letter about me, saying how unpleasant and unprofessional I was when taking care of her. It's a long story, and I actually only had a three-minute interaction with this person, but what the letter didn't happen to mention was that this patient actually HIT ME during the course of our time together. The "powers that be" want to have a meeting with me to discuss "my attitude." I wrote out my side of the story, and I told our associate director of nursing (who is on my side, by the way) that if they want to have a meeting about this, I'll bring my union rep and a police officer to take my statement as I file assault and battery charges against this patient. This was not some gorked-out old lady who is demented and has no idea what's going on. This was a 62-year-old woman with back pain. I'm sorry, but no matter how much pain you are in, it's not OK to hit the person who is attempting to help you get to a bed.
Thank goodness I'm on vacation for two weeks. Argentina, here I come!
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14 comments:
I am so sorry that happened to you.You are 100% right.
Yvonne ED RN
Oh, I hate that political crap. When the powers that be take the word of a patient over a seasoned RN, not cool.
Sounds like a severe and perfectly appropriate response.
Can't imagine someone trying to play chicken with you.
...
well... let me rephrase.
I can. But clearly THEY haven't.
Enjoy Argentina!
Throw the book at her! And then tell your superiors that you will sue them because you were assaulted during WORK and they did not provide adequate security or support.
Have fun in Argentina. I hope you're not a vegetarian. The beef is THE BEST IN THE WORLD!!! And the guys aren't bad looking either.....
She's a nurse and she hits you?
What kind of defense could she possibly have? I didn't realize that nurses are busy and have a difficult job?
That's adding insult to injury.
PS, I know of somebody from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, who has some free time on his hands, who might just be overbearing.
Unless the patient is severely demented, every nurse should file assault and battery charges on anyone who hits them! Enjoy your vacation.
Enjoy vacation. Nuff said. Toni
I'm with Nurse Stella (figuratively) neither nurses nor EMTs are punching bags for patients who can't control themselves. Management should back up their staff when said staff is attacked by patients or family members.
my (not medically related) job can be tough but i've never been hit at work! hit on, but that's different, and about 20 years and 40 pounds ago.
guess i should count my blessings.
my (not medically related) job can be tough but i've never been hit at work! hit on, but that's different, and about 20 years and 40 pounds ago.
guess i should count my blessings.
i think you should have pressed charges against her regardless.
Good grief, she hit you? Yes, DEFINITELY tell them you may file an assault charge. What nerve. I hate it when nurses go into the hospital gunning to criticize their nurses. It's bad enough we're not good to each other when we're working, but then to come back as a nightmare patient...that's horrible.
Guitargirl,
I'm sorry this mess happened to you. But surely you must know by now that you must file a police report every time a patient so much as looks at you funny (it could be sexual harassment), just so you can CYA.
Hey there, GuitarGirlRN! Just checking back in and saw this post and did a doubletake. I'm so sorry!
We ran an article at AJN a while back on this subject - Violence and Nursing (http://bit.ly/14uYAP) (open the PDF for a cleaner read). It's a subject that seems to have gotten some attention in Australia, but of course it happens everywhere. The article ends with some recommendations and resources. Might be helpful. In any case, I hope you're doing OK.
Sylvia
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