Why do some people physically and verbally abuse nurses when in hospital?

Answer 1

They are inadequate and are feeling insecure and vulnerable and so they take it out on the easiest presumed target...

On the other side of the coin, I had a friend who was dying of cancer, I came to visit him late at night, he was asleep. The nurse came in and woke him to give him an injection. He was not the type of guy who liked being in a hospital and being poked w/needles etc.. - When the nurse finished, he looked up at her and with the warmest tone said "Thank you." As if he knew she would rather be home w/her family but had to stay there to take care of people like him who were sick.

The next day, he did not remember my stopping in to visit or the nurse or saying thank you - he was such a nice man, he could be nice in his sleep.

And that is life - for every jerk, there are plenty of good people out there - if you are a nurse, keep up the good work and don't let a few jerks spoil it for you - though others may not speak it out loud, - thank you.

Answer 2

Patient Experiences a Large Amount of Pain & Discomfort
(In seeking relief and unsuccessful, frustration sets in, the patient "cracks" and attacks the nurse verbally)


Aggressive Behavior Patient
Mentally Impaired Patient
Sexually Inappropriate Patient
Racial Bias

Nurses are expected to put up with so much extra baggage. They double check doctors orders, pharmacy, our coworkers; They deal with docs, families, social work, discharge, and every single other department. They are "bodies" thrown into an assignment and at times are barely making it through a shift physically, emotionally and mentally. They are expected to have several sets of arms, two brains, another set of eyes on the backs of thier heads. Actually, it is now required to have the ability to split onself in two. The are expected to get baccalaureate degrees and certifications but are not compensated monetarily. They are expected to think and act like doctors but without the respect and reverence that goes along with it.

http://www.nursingpower.net/abuse/abuse.html

http://www.cno.org/docs/prac/47004_AbusNurses.pdf


God Bless Nurses

Answer 3

Presumably because they are a. stressed and worried or b. just nasty people. But equally, I have found often that nurses are not the "angels" people credit them to be. They are just women like us who work extremely hard trying to do a good job. Sometimes you will get some of those same nasty people who'll choose to go into nursing. I have met some seriously unpleasant nurses, they may choose nursing as it gives them access to vulnerable people whom they can bully. My ex husband's elderly aunt was in a geriatic hospital in Birmingham (West Midlands, not Alabama!) and the poor old souls in there were treated like dirt by the nurses. Imagine you're 95 and some snotty nosed little 19 year old tart is wagging her fat finger in your face because you've dared to ask for someone to take you to the loo and she thinks you're being a nuisance. Not such a little angel after all, perhaps.

Answer 4

Several reasons, some more deserving of sympathy than others:

Mental health disorders. Drunkenness (my aunt's a nurse, this is one of the major reasons to her). Also people feel very vulnerable in hospital, they're scared of dying and in pain and they might deal with that by being aggressive. Or they're scared for their loved one and the nurse is an easy target. It's not right but it is understandable. Then of course there's just complete arseholes. I love the Only Fools and Horses episode where Delboy slugs them one.

Answer 5

i am an ex nurse and i know what you are talking about, but, there are circumstances whereby the patient does not realise what the are doing,ie Alzheimer's,dementia,after effects of anaesthesia, or even just down to extreme pain that they may be in, other factors also play a part in it such as, drink or drugs and for these there is no excuse,
while i was nursing i was bitten ,kicked, pinched,punched another nurse i was with was knocked across the next 2 beds, i know this sounds bad, but these instances were all from patients who could not help themselves and did not know they were doing wrong.

Answer 6

Because they are idiots Sure they hurt whether they're patients or loved ones visiting but they need to relax and look at it in perspective.They don't understand and appreciate the care they get because of the stress they're under. Nurses are stressed out too. No one has the right to be abusive in anyway to anyone.

Answer 7

Those that suffer from Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia can't help it - they feel that people are been agressive to them and so they only try and defend themselves. If they could see what they were really like they would change their ways!

Sometimes people are suffering so much pain they have to take it out on somebody. Often they don't mean it though.

Due to racism, it could be that white people lash out at black nurses purely on prejudice view.

Sadly it happens, doctors, ambulance people and nurses all get it - often though, it's from patients who aren't totally "with it".

Answer 8

I spent a week in a hospital bed once.. all the time this old fat dude was ranting and raving at the nurses, it was disgusting. He was having injections into his stomach.. gross.. then he got up to leave and one of the nurses asked him if he was gonna stop smoking.. "oh nono no.." idiot..

Answer 9

Because it's a good laugh.

But seriously I think it is because they think they can get away with it and also that they don't have feelings.

Much like the way a school kid sees his teacher. If someone is put in a position of care or authority over you it is human nature to think they have the right to let out their frustrations on that person.

Answer 10

cos they are afraid of wots gona happen to em or maybe if nurses an doctors got the praise they deserve an wages they certainly earn just possible ppl would change attitude 2wards em