I was taken somewhat by surprise by it all and chose not to say anything in reply even though I caught the eye of one of the support workers who was present.
The look said " I support you and I sympathise "
I will deal with the situation on my next shift at the weekend
I'm not shy at coming forward
But I shall see the nurse in private
And I shall wipe the fucking floor with her.
But in a professional way
of course!
No one likes confrontation well not unless you are an angry hairy arsed lunatic you do......but over my years as a ward manager, I have learnt how to stand up for myself personally and for the health service in general in all manner of confrontations both physical and verbal.
The main rule for the physical ones is to always remain out of arm reach but if violence does occur always get stuck in close and fast) and always have your back to an open door.
The rule for the verbal ones is always to remain calm and have a good memory.
I remember one night on intensive care when a suddenly hypoxic patient went nuts in a neighbouring nurse's bedspace. Paranoid and confused the patient thumped one staff nurse and kicked another in the chest, sending her flying and pulling out his arterial lines and IVs he squared up to all as a junior doctor tried to reason with him in gentle ,soothing and totally inappropriate tones. The whole situation went rapidly out of control as other nurses ran forward to help whilst others stood frightened by their unconscious patients and I am glad to say that my psychiatric nurse experience came into play as I climbed up onto the patient's bed, my uniform creaking at the arse under the strain
"fucking Sedate HIM!" I hissed at the doctor and as the patient screamed and punched out I dropped my not no inconsiderable bulk on top of him effectively pinning him to the bed with a muffled squeal!
"What are YOU DOING?!!!!!!" the doctor shouted wide eyed but I ignored him and told another buxom nurse to climb on to help....."GET HELP!" she yelled at the doc as she showed a sizable flash of cleavage as she jumped up
We were lucky, as a nearby consultant with great presence of mind grabbed some drugs and whacked a syringe full of ketamine into the patient's free buttock with a flourish and within a second or two the chap was safely sedated, ventilated and made safe for treatment.
I am now off to clean the cottage again for more estate agent viewings tomorrow.
I cant afford fresh flowers so have picked aquilegia from the garden to stand beside the cheerful gerbera in the kitchen window as a splash of colour
Quite a story! (Am I the only person in the world who has not watched Games of Thrones?)
ReplyDeleteNo. What is it?
DeleteRaymondo you smart arse x
DeleteNot alone Tom. I haven't watched it, or read the books.
DeleteI haven't watched any of it or read the books..
DeleteThese stories would make such a good book!
ReplyDeleteStories from the Battlefield... :)
PS
DeleteI hope the jerk/nurse apologizes .
We shall see
DeleteI do love reading your stories. xx
ReplyDeleteCheers chuck
DeleteAnd on Saturday afternoons you were 'Big Daddy'.
ReplyDeleteAnd on Sunday I've was big mommy
DeleteNursing horror stories. We all have at least one. Time you thought about writing a book John.
ReplyDeleteI may almost be exhausted out if stories
DeleteKaren's right.
ReplyDeleteWhen someone is rude or nasty, I'm so shocked I rarely say a thing. Given time, I'm ready for their next outburst and/or may do what you are doing: have a word with the person later and in private -- in effect, not sinking to their level of discourtesy. I wish I thought fast enough to respond appropriately in the instant it happens but alas, I don't. -Kate
ReplyDeleteI always try to do the confrontation in private but sometimes I think that if the original remark is done in public then all bets are off
DeleteThis is totally different as it was between strangers, but I was on the bus sitting very near the front door as I had a foot injury. There were no visual clues to let others know that I wasn't very mobile at the time. Elderly Chinese folk boarded the bus at some point and a younger Chinese woman standing very near by decided to hit my knee with her handbag and simply said loudly: LADY! (The subtext was: Get up for those in need, you thoughtless person.)
DeleteI was so taken aback yet was able to calmly say that I had a foot injury. I also told her to kindly not knock me in the knee with her purse. She said nothing in reply, but took two steps back. Weird shit.
"I shall wipe the fucking floor with her, but in a professional way of course", what a great line. Plus the mental image of you lying on the out of control patient. I love your way of story telling. I was surprised to hear an estate agent is coming over, I had hoped you will stay in your home. Still hoping.
ReplyDeleteTwo valuations tomorrow ðŸ˜
DeleteBe careful . As we both know things can get tense. Do make sure that you have a witness to your talk to the nurse. I cannot tell you what to say you know the terrain as well as anyone, but someone who can talk to you in any manner can sometimes have the ability to turn it around and make out it is all your fault. Sorry, John, but I remember being at college and one of the questions was " what would you do if you were not getting along with another member of staff" we all said something along the lines of, quiet word, etc., and our tutor shouted out "NO" get arbitration and I have never forgotten what she said. Honestly not teaching how to suck eggs but this person sounds dangerous. Love Andie xxx
ReplyDeleteNo witness required just a few words
Delete... 'this person sounds dangerous'...
DeleteWtf? Because of speaking badly to John?
i have no problem handling rude people whatsoever. sometimes having additional bulk comes in handy, eh?
ReplyDeleteYou are a brave one. I could see it all....."sqathunp..."
ReplyDeleteAll it takes is a few well chosen words to eviscerate most bullies. Why do I hold my tongue?
ReplyDeleteA good man to have in a crisis.
ReplyDeleteWow, I got all tensed up just reading this!I am afraid my "fight or flight" usually ends up in flight. Thank goodness you knew how to handle that situation.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was first married to my husband and living in NYC...his old friend Richard would often meet us for lunch..
ReplyDeleteHe was a flamboyant large gay man who was very popular and ran the theatre on Fire Island.
So everything he did was noticeable.
We were walking down the street one day , in NYC.
2 women were walking towards us.
As they got closer, one said to the other- look Mary,it's a Fairy.
Richard stopped in his tracks,
Turned and looked down at her and said in his best operatic voice...
"Madam...IF I was a fairy, I would whip out my magic wand and fix your nose! "
We stood there and laughed helplessly....
Way to go girlfriend
DeleteI agree with Susan - you're "a good man in a crisis"! (I expect you're a good man at a party, too, but that's another topic :))
ReplyDeleteI'm a good man to have at a funeral too....I give eulogies and cry easily
DeleteWhat a story! Am glad you were there in that wild and crazy situation.
ReplyDeleteHope whatever transpires with the bungalow, you'll be more happy with where you land or stay put than you can imagine now.
Hugs!
I wasn't it was horrendous
DeleteRight now I need a nurse showing a sizeable flash of cleavage to jump on me and stick a syringe full of ketamine into a free buttock (both are free this evening). It would make a nice change from The Archers.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Did you mean pick YOUR battles, you dyslexic c***?
DeletePPS. As you page loads up, before the chickens appear, I get a flash of a dark forest. It's nice. I like it.
DeleteYes I have no idea why the forest pops up
DeleteI like it too.
DeleteI love the series, 'Curious Under the Stars' on R4 right now. Your forest reminds me of it. It's set in Wales too - what's not to like?
DeleteI love that podcast!
DeleteI also like the dark forest, I thought you had changed your header.
DeleteJo in Auckland
I know the nurse with the cleavage well, she moonlights if you are interested
ReplyDeleteMany many many eons years ago I had to go into ER and take a clean sample of blood for a alcohol and drug test. They were holding the driver down starting to work on him, blood was everywhere a gash on his head and a Officer in the room to be sure we had the correct sample before treatment. Things are much easier now.
ReplyDeletecheers, parsnip
Sometimes drastic measures are the only ones that make any sense.
ReplyDeleteChoose your battles, choose your weapons. And sometimes walk/run away.
ReplyDeleteGood luck.
In deed
DeleteI also dislike confrontation but sometimes it's necessary. If I had a coat of arms my motto would be Do No Harm But Take No Crap.
ReplyDeleteYeap mine is STAND YOUR GROUND
DeleteMy job was so dull compared to yours. I am grateful for that, however, I don’t have any great stories to tell like you do.
ReplyDeleteMine has changed somewhat dearheart xx
DeleteNever talk to one of those twats alone.
ReplyDeleteAlways have somebody with you that can back up your side of the facts.
There’s always a c*nt in every job (notice how nice I was there?)
I read that you climbed on top of him and pinned him down and I got the vapors. Is that weird? You don’t have to answer tho....
😄
XoXo
What is about nursing? Some of the women I have worked with over the years have been total nightmares.
ReplyDeleteI'm an LPN (roughly your old SEN) and the verbal abuse we are subject to by RNs is horrific. It's usually a fresh, new grad RN who we are mentoring to learn their craft. One student nurse from a local university even told me to behave because he'd be my Manager within a year. My crime in his eyes was to ask why he was giving my patient 10mg of Morphine with a Gravol chaser when the patient was in no pain (I'd just rounded). It was in the narcotics room. Luckily his instructor heard him and took him away from my patients but that's as close to an apology that I got.
Wow, you sure have had quite some interesting experiences in your line of work. I often wonder if I could have been a nurse. I don't think so...
ReplyDeleteGood luck in your conversation John.
ReplyDeleteMy sister was a SEN then Div 2 when it all changed and them in power decided that University degrees made better nurses. Rubbish, Sis would get a group of students in who'd never touched a patient and hadn't developed the skill of who to talk quietly to or who to be sharp with. The only time she nearly threw a punch was when she found out the night nurse was stealing painkillers and replacing them with anything he could find.
ReplyDeleteWhere will you go, John? Or have I missed that?
ReplyDeleteI wish I knew how to wipe the floor with somebody in a professional way. There are times it comes in handy.
ReplyDeleteWell, you and Nurse Cleavage taught that junior doctor a lesson I hope he remembered in the future!
ReplyDeleteFresh flowers delight all the senses.
ReplyDeleteGo get 'em, John! Good luck with the real estate showings.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI get to see the ghostly trees too sometimes when I log on. I am always disappointed when they don't appear!
ReplyDeleteI admire your ability to speak up and your self control... to save your return salvo for a private conversation. Very grown up.
ReplyDeleteYet again, coming late to the party. Just want to wish you well through all of this - I love your sense of humour. Don't know if it helps at all to know people are (quietly - I'm a former librarian) in your corner.But I certainly am. Jx
ReplyDeleteYou handled the Patient going Mental superbly so I know you'll handle the Bully at Work effectively. Having raised Special Needs Children with Serious Mental Health diagnosis you learn what NOT to do quickly. *Winks* And having handled all manner of Crazy for two Generations of raising Special Needs Kiddos now, Bullies don't intimidate me one iota either. Of coarse my Welsh Mum taught me well how to stand your ground, she was a force to be reckoned with even in her 80's! *Winks* My Native American Dad gave me this Sage advice, "You know they used to say you'd fight an Apache all day long and never see one..." and there is much to be said about that as well.
ReplyDeleteJohn - I always found (and still do) the sluice was a good place for these 'conversations'
ReplyDelete