The patient left the ED against medical advice. They saw the my coworker walking to her car and asked if she was a nurse at the hospital, when she said yes, they assaulted her. They beat her so badly they broke her jaw. She is 60 years old and works on the palliative care unit taking care of patients that are dying.
I’m so tired of the violence we receive not being taken seriously. I’m tired of my countries shitty healthcare being blamed on us. I’m tired of patients coming in with knives and guns. I’m tired of threats when people don’t get there way.
95% of patients are amazing but man that 5% really fucking hates us. It’s scary. Now I can’t even walk to my car without being afraid. We are trying our best. Our hospitals are underfunded and understaffed. We are not the fucking problem.
We don’t have anything to defend ourselves and no one to protect us.
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It really sucks. I grabbed a confused, withdrawing drunk because if I didn’t grab him he was going to fall and smash his skull on the floor. He beat the tar out of me while I tried to restrain him without hurting him. Fuck these people.
It’s heartbreaking to hear about the violence you faced, it’s not just a job, it’s a calling that deserves respect and protection, and I hope things get better for you and your colleagues, even in the darkest moments, there are still people who see the value in what you do every day.
I’m very sorry this happens. My wife is an ER doc in an inner city hospital. She is very scared of this type of things and tells me it’s not a matter of if, but when. The hospitals she works at have cut back on security and she often finds herself in potentially dangerous situations at work. I’m scared for her and her colleagues.
I’m so sorry this happened to your colleague! And that you have to deal with this stuff too. It’s sickening to think you spend the day helping people then get met with this at then end of it!
I hate people like that. I’m sorry about your coworker.
I am asking this question with the complete and tacit acknowledgment that I am completely ignorant to this but….
Pepole really hate nurses/healthcare workers like that? I am absolutely blown away right now because I would never in a million years suspect that. I’m not talking assholes during the pandemic that blamed them, I’m talking just people walking around?
I have grown up thinking anyone working in healthcare is the pinnacle of selflessness and dedication. I’m just shocked and so sorry y’all have to go through that. Truly.
I lack the words to describe how grateful and blessed I am to have had so many amazing nurses care for me. They saved my life when the shit doctors assigned to me either ignored my symptoms or dismissed me because I do not have the gift of “beauty.”
The kindness, medical acumen and strength in the nurses I’ve seen, elevates those who do this work to a place of worthy of admiration and profound respect.
Love to your coworker, to you and anyone who cares for others. We see you.
Sounds like you’re at your wit’s end. That assault on your coworker is just heinous. You’re right, 5% of problematic patients can poison the whole experience. Underfunding and lack of security don’t help. Hope your hospital steps up to protect you all now.
Sounds like you’re at your wit’s end. That assault on your coworker is just heinous. You’re right, 5% of problematic patients can poison the whole experience. Underfunding and lack of security don’t help. Hope your hospital steps up to protect you all now.
My mom worked as an RN in the psych ward into her 80s!! She was only on call and just took shifts as she wanted them.
She was assaulted by a patient when he dumped a jug of boiling hot water on her. Fortunately, he was charged but probably only g9t a slap on the wrist.
The show The Pitt did a good job at showing how patients can get violent when one dude socked a nurse in the face and ended up breaking a couple bones. The frustration afterwards, the wanting to quit because of being fed up with being abused.
I’ve never had a bad interaction with a nurse. Dr’s? Yes they can piss a person off. But nurses? Nurses are what makes a hospital. The nurses at the PICU when my daughter was there made a horrible experience more tolerable.
Nurses and medical personnel need MMA skills or Militia to protect them from irresponsible/irate patients.
That’s terrible. I am so sorry.
It doesn’t occur to me that people think doctors and nurses (especially!) are to blame or have any control over the lack of adequate attention or care. The level of ignorance to this country’s broken healthcare system must be even worse than I thought, and that’s deeply concerning.