I got bitten.

Sasha

Sasha

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I had a combative, BLS, IFT non emergent nursing home to ER for abnormal labs patient today. Generally I could keep him calm and he only got combative when I tried to take vitals, so I figured there was no need to restrain him, just don't touch him. IFT, I could handle that.

Well at the hospital I was giving the triage nurse my report, standing by the patient, out of the blue he raised a hand to smack me, I grabbed his hand, and he bit my arm. Really hard, and he had really nasty, gunky teeth. He broke the skin. I cleaned it out really good, but darn it, it still hurts! What the heck!?
 
Yikes, did you get it checked? Bloodwork?
 
Haha. I told my supervisor on duty, he said to let him know if it starts to get infectiony.

And no, I didn't beat the crap outta him, my partner said he would have, though. He was confused and scared!
 
Sasha said:
Haha. I told my supervisor on duty, he said to let him know if it starts to get infectiony.

And no, I didn't beat the crap outta him, my partner said he would have, though. He was confused and scared!
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nothing quite like locking the barn door after the horse gets out.......
 
KEVD18 said:
nothing quite like locking the barn door after the horse gets out.......
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Well, he's a new supervisor.. He probably doesn't know how to handle it, so I'm gonna call tomorrow and talk another supervisor.
 
My partner got bit by an extremely combative post-ictal seizure pt. Pt was a kickboxer and doing what he did best so we were restraining him, as soon as that happened the pt had 5 guys on top of him, well 4 at any given point with one tying whatever limb. He got blood work and everything, even got a wristband.
 
Sounds like a night I had. Well, I was not bit, but a pt with low blood sugar was very combative and ended up punching me in the cheek. I almost dodged it, but damnit, it left a nice mark on my face.
 
You need to do some stuff immediately then at once. Also now.

1. Immediately clean the wound well, scrub with peroxide and hibiclens is about right, then paint with betadine and bandage.
2. While doing that, contact your supervisor who has a limited amount of time to complete the workman's comp paperwork. Do this. If it required you to be hospitalized or get antibiotic tx,, you might not get the Comp money and ahve to pay out of pocket while your insurer tried to get it. If your employer takes over a certain time (I think it's 48 hrs) they are prone to get a multiple thousand dollar fine.
3. Then you go to the work comp doctor or, if they allow, your private physician right away. You may need antibiotics, a tetanus shot, even wound debridement if you delay.

People bugs like to live in and on people. Get on it!
 
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I feel like I shouldn't be posting because I'm not an EMT yet.

Anyway, my previous job in an ISL home with 4 DDMR adults, one gal was 26, had a 21q+ chromosone... problem. Can't remember the exact terminology, well she also had a seizure problem, and every time she was getting ready to have a seizure she became very aggresive and would attack staff. My 3rd or 4th night shift that I was working alone, she just appears around the corner, and I look at her (I'm cooking dinner at this time) and she tells me "I love you." And I said, I love you too hon. And I turned back around to stir the food, and the next thing I know I have this sharp intense pain in my left arm, I look, and she has stabbed me with a pair of scissors. Long story short, five minutes later she's on the floor seizing... great great night.



I hope you don't get an infection or anything.
 
Sasha said:
Haha. I told my supervisor on duty, he said to let him know if it starts to get infectiony.

And no, I didn't beat the crap outta him, my partner said he would have, though. He was confused and scared!
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Thank God no one did. In this type of a situation, "IF" the patient is truly confused, it is understandable when a person has an intrinsic reaction to an aggressive action. However, anything after that "reaction" may be seen as an assault.

So my question is this............... What would your actions have been if the person was drunk or high and did the exact same thing to you?

This unfortunate incident ( I hope everything goes well) is a perfect example to help teach people the difference between a "patient" and an "attacker".
 
DT4EMS said:
Thank God no one did. In this type of a situation, "IF" the patient is truly confused, it is understandable when a person has an intrinsic reaction to an aggressive action. However, anything after that "reaction" may be seen as an assault.

So my question is this............... What would your actions have been if the person was drunk or high and did the exact same thing to you?

This unfortunate incident ( I hope everything goes well) is a perfect example to help teach people the difference between a "patient" and an "attacker".
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Uhm.. My response probably would have been the same, which was a screetch and get away. I don't hit people, period.
 
Sasha said:
Uhm.. My response probably would have been the same, which was a screetch and get away. I don't hit people, period.
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Anytime you can do your job and not have to lay hands on a person in a defensive manner is a good day.

The point I am trying to make with this one is pretty cut and dry. My hope is to help draw a more clear line between an attacker vs. an uncooperative patient.

It sounds like in this incident, your person was a patient and you didn't feel threatened. The keys here are 1)Your Perception and 2) Culpable Mental Status of the person you are dealing with.

We should treat ALL patients with caring and understanding. If they are not in their right mind due to an altered mental status due to a medical reason they are a patient.

If a person is under the influence of an intoxicating substance (regardless of the substance) and they have an intent to do you harm, that is an attacker. All attackers should have a police report filed on them............ period.

Frequent fly-ers in EMS that assault EMS providers are similar to those involved with domestic violence. Each time they will get worse, not better. So documentation of their actions in police reports show the pattern.
 
In addition to the workers comp form, there should be a form to do that identifies a potential blood borne pathogen incident. It's mandatory where I work and the supervisor and employees responsibility to complete.
 
Desert Ranger said:
In addition to the workers comp form, there should be a form to do that identifies a potential blood borne pathogen incident. It's mandatory where I work and the supervisor and employees responsibility to complete.
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Similar.

I had a patients vomitus exposed to my mouth and filed (immediately after the call) expose protocols (got blood drawn from me and the dead guy).

If you suspect exposure, report it! You do not want to find out in 2 weeks that you have MRSA and could've had treatment before!
 
When was your last Tetanus shot?? And I am being serious.
 
I can't believe no one has yet asked the most obvious question......Did anyone ask the pt "Is Sasha as sweet as we all believe????"
 
BossyCow said:
I can't believe no one has yet asked the most obvious question......Did anyone ask the pt "Is Sasha as sweet as we all believe????"
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Or, "Did she taste like a pickle?" :P

In all seriousness, there's been some good advice in this thread and I hope that you follow it, sasha.
 
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