Recently I have noticed an increase in the number of advanced Alzheimer's patients in several areas: medicine, surgery, orthopedics, intermediate med/surg (tele), urology, etc. (seems like everywhere but OB!). The ones that are strong enough to get up and about are the scariest. In the past two weeks I've had two who were impulsive, highly agitated, paranoid, and combative (one had a stroke with a mild hemiplegia and the other had pneumonia, both were mobile and very strong). I was afraid for their safety as much as I was for my own (one bit a nurse at a nursing home). I guess this is an ongoing trend with the growing aged population. I realize they are in need of the medical care we can provide in the hospital setting, but getting slapped, punched, kicked, bitten, squeezed and pinched is way beyond what I signed on for. I am adding some Alzheimer's care to my CEU's, but would like to know if anyone else has had similar experiences.