What Would You Have Done?

[Maddie]

I work on a telemetry unit. Went to check leads on a patient. Room was full of visitors. I informed patient I needed to shave off chest hair to replace lead. Patient appeared restless, hyper. Patient replied, "I have a knife; would you like to see my knife?" Side notes: Patient was foreigner; also came with stab wound to hand. Stop. What would you have done at this point? Thought it through? OK, here's what I did. Got security to go in with me and request patient relinquish knife. Patient then stated he did not have a knife. Family stood up in unison and began to verbally abuse me and security, accused us of treating patient "like a criminal;" accused us of "discrimination", told me to go back to the Philippines(?!) I am American, born & raised. Security told them to leave. They did not; instead, they reported me to supervisor and continued to harrass me at nurse's station. I then called the local police. Would you have handled this differently in any way? Honest advice appreciated as I am ready to throw in my nursing shoes over this incident.

[hsieh]

i think you did the right thing. the problem isn't you it's the enviroment you're working in. you need to change enviroments. go work at another hospital or other health care enviroment. look at it like this: imagine being born female in a country where females are lower than animals. the problem isn't being female it's being in an enviroment that puts females in that position. and there are places on this planet where females are less than animals. sounds like the hospital envrioment you work at is dysfunctional or "sick". happy trails to you. i hope for your sake you're not the type of person who fears change. that is one horrible fear that can make one's life terrible.