violent patient
I have a friend whose mom is a nurse working in a hospital for people with mental disorder, and she said some patient could be very violent sometimes. I have noticed that she got some bruises by them. Now she got better treating them and the most important thing is to treat them with other nurses, she said. She suggested you shouldn't try to deal with them by your own.

More than just physical
We also need to realize that patients can be more than just physically violent. Nurses may have to deal with verbal abuse, threats, and sexual advances. The first step towards preventing this should be to never work alone. Hospitals should have security on staff at all times. After that the staff has to make it a prority that the hospital takes every precaution possible. If your friend has not gone to her boss about this, she needs to make them aware right away!

Thanks for your thoughts, will update my friend on the good advise!

I always assess the situation before I get myself into an ALONE situation with any potentially violent patient. If there is ANY question of violence or aggression that a security guard is standing closeby or right beside me.

Don't let yourself be put into a situation where your one on one with a potentially violent patient. Always give yourself an way out - such as you are closer to the door than they are. Don't get put into a situation where your inside a room with no easy way out or away from the individual !!

A show of force will generally help to lessen an intimidating patient. Don't go it alone !!

quick question
how does every one else deal with mentally ill patients who repeated try to get you fired? I am documenting, keeping confidentiaity and respecting the patients diagnosis. So am i doing the right thing? Has this happened to any one else? Thanks for listening.

LOL, I'm sorry but that sounds funny. Why is the patient trying to get you fired?

violent patients
Hello,
I was attacked by a med/surg patient that was in a vest restraint and wrist restraints. He pulled the call light out of the wall and beat me upside the head with it. I suffered a concussion and 10,000 dollars in medical expenses. He had gotten out of the wrist restraints and i thought the vest was still attached to the bed. I went over to attach the wrist restraints back on and he jumped out of the bed and pulled the call light out of the wall and hit me multiple times in the head. You never know when a patient may turn violent. He was only restrained because he kept getting out of bed. I am ok now. I never in my 8 years of health care had anything happen like this. You just never know.