I got assaulted at work last night

[Heddi]

This has nothing to do with anything, other than sharing with my friends. I understand if it's locked for being o/t...

if you don't know, I'm a nurse in a busy ER.

I was punched by a drunk last night. Didn't damage me (I have a bruise today, so what). Right arm. What a shit-head. Closed-fist punch. Asshole

i was so ANGRY. I filed charges. He was arrested once he sobered.

People thought I got hit in the face I was so red.

grr!

He said "that stupid bitch touched me first". um, yeah, you're in a hospital dipshit. And I wasn't assaulting him, i was keeping him from pulling off his neck brace. He just blindsided me. Had I been in the position I was in origially, before I moved so a stretcher could get by, I would have been punched in the face. THAT would have been too much.

I didn't cry though. I think my coworkers thought I was being a big baby for pressing charges. "you're not hurt, are you?" Oh, so it's only assault if you're hurt. I was hurt. I have a bruise.

NOt only that, but if this guy had hit me at, say, Starbux, I could have defended myself. I could have hit back, or slapped, or whatever. At work, I have no recourse. I would lose my license and be sued to oblivion if I hit that guy. I didn't even want to hit him back because that would have been stupid.

So I guess that if someone breaks into your house and steals a 10 year old TV it's not a crime because it's a worthless TV?

Oh well. Fuck that.

Assaulting a nurse is a class-C felony.

fucker

[Warpy]

1. Good for you. If more of us followed up with assault charges

then some of these punks might learn a little respect.

Probably not.

[onager]

13. On "World's Dumbest Criminals" recently...

I saw something great - all captured on the security camera of a convenience store:

A 72-yr-old man is waiting in line to pay for his stuff.

Behind him in line is a big 20-something punk.

Punk decides he will lift the geezer's wallet. And if the geezer notices - he probably figured - so what? I'm a lot younger/stronger/faster than him.

The camera shows the punk reaching toward the geezer's back pocket. Then rapid movement, as the geezer rounds on the punk like a rabid Tasmanian Devil.

Turns out the geezer was (1) a former Marine (2) a former amateur boxing champ and (3) a retired steelworker.

I LOL'd till I almost passed out. By the time the cops got there, that punk must have been BEGGING them to rescue him from that pissed-off senior citizen.

[Goblinmonger]

2. Sorry this happened.

For what it's worth, as a teacher I would have pressed charges, too.

He is a fucker. Hope you find some way to unwind.

[Rob H.]

3. Dang! That sucks

Glad to see you pressed charges, regardless of what your coworkers thought you should have done.

[Raster]

4. I would have stabbed him with something SHARP....

...but that's probably why I'm not a nurse. Bless your heart.

[Behind the Aegis]

5. Good for you!

I am glad you weren't harmed more! My grandmother is a nurse. My brother and sister-in-law are medical doctors who work emergency room duty and the psych ward. I am glad you filed charges. You were battered.

A class-C felony?! Rock on!

[Trajan]

6. I have taught my kids - If anybody so much as touches you without your permission ...

It is Battery .... If they strike, push or pull you - It is Assault ....

I intend to keep them from being victims ....

You did well .....

[Odin2005]

7. That he called you a "stupid bitch" tells me everything I need to know about him!

What a dickwad!

[Ron Obvious]

8. Drunks...

A drunken man's words are a sober man's thoughts. Alcohol just removes the inhibitions. I, for example, am a rather jolly drunk.

You did the right thing. Don't ever doubt it.

[Ilsa]

9. You needed to do that. I'm glad you filed charges.

And don't back down. It might seem like he "gets away with it" if he doesnt get jail, but even probation might keep him from hurting someone else. In fact, if he's already on probation, then your charges might help protect others.

It's a lot of trouble having to keep up with his eventual prosecution, but please do it. if you waiver, get a supportive friend to help you stick with it.

Please make sure your nursing supervisor knows, and your union, if you have one.

A lot of people don't realize how dangerous it is to be a nurse. I'm glad you are "okay". I'd be angry too. Please do what you need to help with that.

[Auggie]

11. Same here

[Warren Stupidity]

10. Don't expect a lot of support from your local DA either.

They are going to be about as supportive as your co-workers. Sucks. Personally I would press the charges until asshole has had to pay for an attorney and then drop them.

[onager]

12. Glad you're OK!

Also glad you pressed charges and think you should continue to do so.

Drawing on my vast experience with the legal system, meaning I watch a lot of true crime shows...

Over and over I see examples of someone "suddenly" killing or horribly injuring someone else.

Except in many case, it wasn't sudden at all. The perp went thru life leaving long trails of restraining orders and misdemeanor arrests for violence. Until they finally went too far and left someone dead.

[Curmudgeoness]

14. I am sorry to hear this.

My sister was an ER nurse in a big city trauma center, and I know that you put up with a lot of shit. You don't have to shrug this off. If assaulting a nurse is a class C felony, that means that there is nothing wrong with a nurse filing charges....they actually have a category for it in the law! We all know that this type of person will never stop until he has enough consequences.

Too bad you didn't have quick access to that drug that paralyzes all the muscles. One of my sister's coworkers actually used that on a patient who kept hitting her, then when he was paralyzed, she calmly told him that he was going to be a very good boy from that time on before she gave him the drug to undo it. He was very good after that. I have no doubt that what she did was illegal and she could have lost her license, but what it taught me was----never fuck with a nurse!

[JNelson6563]

15. I am glad you're ok & pressing charges.

And yes, you are among friends who care here among the heathens.

Julie

[Jokerman]

16. That patient sounds like my dad.

He was a heavy drinker and although he wasn't usually physically abusive, he could sure put out the verbal abuse.

Once, near the end of his life I was visiting him in his hospital room when I was mortified to hear him call the nurse a "silly bitch". I followed her out to the hallway and apologized. She seemed unfazed and responded with a comment about how some elderly people get that way. I thanked her for not taking it personally but also told her that he had always been this way.

If I had witnessed my dad assault someone like your patient did I would have encouraged them to press charges and I would have offered my statement in their support.

Your job is difficult enough without that kind of nonsense.