I saw a big debate on social media. Essentially a young attractive nurse was choked to the point of passing out by an ICU patient. To be fair to her she was very empathetic in general. She said she had been abused by patients before, but never like this. She called the police and tried to have the patient arrested for assault, but the police refused to arrest the person. I think the devil lives in the details, but what does the OT think? Should patients be held accountable for their actions? Where does the line get drawn? (Gals name is Ashley Leilani Schade if you want to search on facebook for the full story)

patient is guilty

My dad has told me a few times that he would like to have strangled his nurse! Ripped his catheter out like she was trying to start a lawn mower is what he claimed.

Why wouldn�t the patient be arrested? Assault is assault


Now in court, being guilty is something else. Is the person sane? Etc.

Patient should be charged with assault.

She�s hawt.

Being a patient is scarcely an excuse to assault someone.

It depends on if the patient was in their right mind.

Where this thread is headed

My wife has been a nurse 22 years-
My daughter has been an ER nurse for 7 years, including 5 years at parkland hospital in Dallas.
Both have told me stories that are very very upsetting to me from time to time-
NEITHER of them have ever considered legal action-
They have always said that medicated folks are not in their right mind at the time-
I admire that about both of them-

Yep.

So if an 85 year old dementia patient who is afraid and confused because he doesn't know his kids names or his name should be arrested and thrown in prison for hitting a nurse?

You�re subscribed to zdoggmd too.

Saw that this morning. I don�t have enough caffeine in my system for a real discussion yet.

Obviously every situation is different and independent of the other. A little logic and common sense when dealing with each case will give you a better answer.

As a wise man once said about 25 years ago as I was a setting into EMS/public safety, "you ain't whipping my arse for $28,000 per year".

Having some recent experience along this line - 3 times in the past month - I can tell you that removing the catheter in short increments is far worse than a quick steady pull that only lasts a second or two. Plus, it's much better if you are standing or sitting on the edge of the bed/exam table so that "everything" is in a vertical alignment. Laying on your back so that "everything" is horizontal is much worse.

Sundowners, dementia, etc.... Sometimes they have to restrain them