So I got chased through Wal-Mart on Monday by a former patient riding an electric scooter. It was a patient I had over the weekend. The patient was originally in a hallway bed in a central area, then was moved over to another hallway bed in my section back in the corner due to obnoxious behavior. The patient was none too happy about discharge.

I had to go to Wal-Mart on Monday to pick up a couple of things and the patient was sitting in one of Wal-Mart's electric scooters out front. The patient saw me and started to follow me yelling obscenities derogatory to me and the hospital I work for. I was nice at first, "Sorry you feel that way..." Then I escalated stating that if the care was not up to expectation, I was the wrong person to talk to and suggested filing a complaint with hospital administration. That escalated to stating how inappropriate the current behavior was.

No luck, still following me through the store hurling f-bombs. I really do not want the patient following me into the parking lot and seeing the vehicle I drive. So I walked through the holiday section, dragged out a box containing a large artificial Christmas tree in to the aisle in front of the scooter then dragged out a second directly behind the scooter literally and effectively boxing in the scooter, walked off leaving the patient stranded on the scooter still screaming obscenities, paid for my items and went home.

Told my boss about the incident today and apologized in advance if any complaints that may be received. Judging be how hard he was laughing, I think I'll be in the clear.

I just don't get it. When did it become acceptable for such outrageous behavior?

You need to go back to the store ASAP and pay one of the security guys to slip you a copy of the surveillance video before they overwrite it!

-Rob

some people just need an ass kicking...

Once upon a time, after I left the army, I worked in a program called Youth Experiencing Success (YES) in Orange, Virginia

As you may guess, the youth in YES weee not successful. They all had performed crimes and had been court ordered to be in school. They were not eligible for special education, but their behaviors were too disruptive to remain in general ed.

I worked the job for a year while my (then new) wife finished med school, then we moved to Savannah, Georgia

Fast forward ten years and I decide to go to law school at the university of Richmond. My wife takes a job in Culpeper, VA and we decide to build a house kind of in between in, you guessed it, Orange, VA

One fine day I am shopping at the food lion with my infant son and I hear “motherfucking Mr.Kevbo. Motherfucking YES program. We’re going to kill you.” And lo and behold there is a now grown man I once worked with who has clearly not experienced success.

He and his crew followed me around and then out to my car

I told them I was going to put my son in the car and then we would “do this”....I then proceeded to lock myself in the car and gun through the parking lot as they beat on the car...called the cops..

And the next day I investigated the Virginia CHP process


I should have been carrying long before that. I have worked with the scum of the earth


Fortunately my mistake only cost me some dents in my vehicle and a police report.

I hope you were carrying today. I now own a medical practice with my wife. As a pediatrician she gets dragged into custody stuff all the time. We have had violent and threatening parents. The worst and most dangerous lived in my neighborhood

We both carry. As do many of my employees

I’m glad it’s a funny story to look back on.

My advice:

Again, I hope you were carrying

Leave immediately. Do not engage with the person. You will only escalate them

Shop somewhere else for that item

Make a verbal report to the store manager, your boss, and the police. I know that sounds extreme. But getting it on record you were harassed will make things easier if the harassment continues or escalates

I hope you were carrying

Did I mention I hope you were carrying?

None of us were there to understand the severity of the situation but I think I would want some type of report on record with the police. If another episode occurs and maybe gets more violent/physical, that report may save you a boatload of trouble.

My free advice, worth at least what you paid for it...

Call the police and have the incident documented the police came obtain the video footage from Walmart by legal means .

I would report the incident as soon as possible .

It would be important to document this incident in the patient's medical record for reference and the obvious need for a psych consult next time he shows up at the hospital.

Many hospital systems will then require that said patient report to security before seeing anyone for a medical appointment. Since administration does not have to deal with this sort of behavior directly, it is best to have it documented.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
It would be important to document this incident in the patient's medical record for reference and the obvious need for a psych consult next time he shows up at the hospital.

Many hospital systems will then require that said patient report to security before seeing anyone for a medical appointment. Since administration does not have to deal with this sort of behavior directly, it is best to have it documented.

This, and sounds like he was on his way prior to discharge. So it doesn't show up on the 6 o'clock news someday with the byline "We never thought John would do anything like that..." Some people are just natural-born assholes and enjoy it, and some people really have wires crossed that need to be reconnected or disconnected...

30 years ago there were thousands of this type of wacko out there. There are now millions of these 'you owe me' whackos out there. People need to have a plan on how to deal with them. It's sad, but that is the way our society has gone.

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by 2000Z-71:
So I walked through the holiday section, dragged out a box containing a large artificial Christmas tree in to the aisle in front of the scooter then dragged out a second directly behind the scooter literally and effectively boxing in the scooter, walked off leaving the patient stranded on the scooter still screaming obscenities

The rest of the story aside, this was just plain fun to read!

And while this was going on, and it seems that it went on quite a while, no help from Wal-Mart staff?
Thanks, Wal-Mart!
Yet another reason I avoid W-M.

The tree maneuver was inspired. Well done!

I'm expecting to see the tree episode on the news at some point. I'm sure it was captured on security video. Not sure how you would be portrayed, but that's some funny stuff, man!

Funny how medical people get this so much. I did 30 years as a LEO, 25 in prisons. I've been approached on the street a couple of dozen times, and all but one person shook my hand and wished me well. That one fellow was different, but did not want to argue with a Glock.

Re-enforces my practice. When I worked in the hospitals escorting sick inmates, I made it a habit to, once a week, bring a dozen bagels or doughnuts to the nursing station in the section where I was, and especially to the ER. I wanted my "standing face" associated with good things, in case my "lying down on a gurney face" showed itself.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
And while this was going on, and it seems that it went on quite a while, no help from Wal-Mart staff?
Thanks, Wal-Mart!
Yet another reason I avoid W-M.

So where are you shopping that they would do something? Not defending Walmart, but I can't think of any store I'd expect any level of intervention.

I'm not doing shit to get my ass beat or even shot for $11.85 / hr. at a part time job. Not when I've got World of War Craft and a fresh bag of Cheetos waiting on me when I get home. Your shopping at Walmart? That's on you.

I had a similar situation once but the guy was a 20-something drug seeker who I refused to write narcotics for when he said he “fell out of a tree” even though he didn’t have a mark on him. He tried to curse at me but I shut it down pretty quick. He knew I could snap him in half so he walked away mumbling some nonsense.

Restraining order. I remember a patient coming in to the ER and one of the nurses could not take care of him because she had a restraining order against him. I remember something about EMTALA prohibiting us just throwing him out but at least he had to stay the hell away from her.

Take the time to over-report this and over-document this.

Dirtbag likely has more time on his hands than you do and can make lots of trouble.

First to report, wins.

Bruce

It's Walmart, hop on another one of their scooters and have a little bumper battle. Probably wouldn't be the strangest thing to happen there that day.

Police report or it didn’t happen.
Or you didn’t think he was a real threat and didn’t make one, they would say.
Notifying the store security wouldn’t hurt either.