So annoyed that I allowed myself to be assaulted at work

[MamaBiker]

I'm in front line health care and today I was grabbed by the hair and punched by a patient. I'm so angry at myself for being feeble and weak and allowing it to happen, can't stop thinking about the self defence training I've received and what I should have done.

I should be angry at the patient but I'm more angry at myself. I've never been the victim of violence and always assumed I would be able to react assertively and control the situation but I was completely overwhelmed with fear

I know I am BU to be annoyed at myself but I just can't help it. I can't imagine experiencing violence as part of daily life it must be terrifying.

For the, few people saying for me to push for him to be charged with assault, is that my decision? I want him to be prosecuted, don't understand why he might not be.

I don't know what the management at your workplace will or will not do. You are entitled to personally file a claim, regardless of what they do - you were assaulted! It doesn't matter whether the assault took place in a hospital or on the street.

This exact thing happened to me a few years ago. I'm a MH nurse so somewhat used to the odd assault over 8 years working with acutely unwell people, but this was different.

I was dragged to the floor by my hair and bitten repeatedly. The thing about hair pulling is that it is just so hideously painful you shut down - I did anyway. It was such a violation and it took me months to recover.

We cope with trauma in waves. In the immediate aftermath we can forget details and retreat into a smaller version of ourselves. It takes time to process something horrific like this. Be kind to yourself.

Yes - you report this to police if this hasn't been already. As the victim their first port of call will be to interview you, and your view on what you want to happen should lead the investigation. Tell your manager you're reporting it. You might have a link to police liaison in your Trust that'll help you push this through?

You didn't allow it to happen. It happened to you. What were supposed to do deck him/her on the floor.

When I was a student nurse, my friend and colleague was assaulted very badly - her nose was broken. The union helped her to take a private prosecution against the attacker. She also got compensation from the hospital management to pay for plastic/cosmetic surgery for a nose job. Are you in a union OP? If so, you should get legal help.

I had to attend A&E a few weeks back with DD2 we were the waiting for around 4 hours but in that time there were quite a few rowdy people from those who were plain drunk to those demading they be seen right now as, "I knows me roights", to some who were just looking for trouble. The nursing staff were doing their level best coping with them. One did have a tangle with a juniour female nurse who was by herself for a few seconds I was close on intervening but told to let it go by DD2.

I saw one security man in all that time a very weedy little man who a good gust of wind would blow away. I just wonder why on busy friday and saturday nights they don't have a couple of club doormen to keep the peace course that will have a cost, and no doubt the hospital managers are tucked up in bed asleep at those times but why the hell should medical staff have to put up with this crap happening?

You didn't allow yourself to be assaulted. The fault is entirely with the person who chose to do this.

I am happy to hear the police have taken action as it is very difficult to get the police to act of assaults from patients where I work.

Can you think of anything that you might have done to provoke this OP? Self defense training should be the last line of defence, maybe see if you can get some training to spot cues before it escalates and manage the situation in a preemptive way.

Not saying you did anything wrong but completely unprovoked attacks are actually very rare, there was most likely something that started it off.

@CelticT1gress how dare you blame the victim for being assaulted. Why ressurect a 4 day old thread to say something so deeply unhelpful?

Unprovoked attacks on HCPs are very common, particularly in A&E. I have yearly training on signs of escalation but violence can and does come out of nowhere, especially if you are a busy nurse trying your best to meet everyone's needs.

Op take no notice of the victim blaming post. He/she is an idiot.