Im SOOO Scared to go back to work tonight

[Yorkie_GirL]

Well if you guys didn't know I'm a 19 Year Old LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurse). I Use to work only morning and afternoon shifts (ie. 7am-3pm or 3pm-11pm).. And i was what you would call a "Floater" one who would fill in for whoever is off duty or called in sick, so i worked both stations (we have a station A and Station B).

Well my boss gave me a small raise and asked me to work Night Shifts. And i thought why not. I Actually loved it because i didn't have to worry about doctor's phone calls, mean CNA's trying to boss Me around and stuff like that. At night, I'm my own boss, and My CNA's are sooo nice and i Love my co-workers better in the day, but i miss seeing my mom in the mornings! (i work with her lol)

Well I'm really scared to go back to work because the night shift (11pm-7Am) Because last night, someone broke into our convalescent Hospital. This was the second time it happened. The first time it happened I wasn't there and the guy stole a patients money about $200. They moved the resident from that room to another. But last night the same guy broke into the same room i guess looking for that same patient, but didn't know we moved him. There was another resident in that room (it's usually 2-3 patients in a room)..and he saw the guy come in through the window and try to "HIDE" ..

Well he started screaming and my co-worker ran over there (the other charge nurse) and she did, only to find the culprit jump out the window. We called the police and they came only to say, we'll just look around.. they looked around for 5 minutes and left. Mind you all of us nurses/cna's are all Females...

At around 3AM .. we found 1 footprint. in another Residents room with the window open. we were all freaking out by now.. but we checked everyhwere and didn't find anything...

soo we sat back down at the station to do our charting and all of the other things needed to be done.. (I work at Station B and my Coworker is at Station A.. The incident happened in Station A, and the new Footprint was found in Station B). We were all at Station B (except the Station A CNA's who were cleaning and changing the patients.

So at around 330 AM... The Station A CNA Came running over to Me and my co-worker hysterically screaming saying theres a MAN in the Room again, pleasee!.. so Me and my co-worker grabbed anything we could find.. which was a.. Hole Puncher, A Broom and The Hospitals Bathroom Key which had a heavy petal like bat. LOL.. so we ran to that room as fast as we could. Another CNA was standing right outside, pale as a ghost saying.. "I saw a Leg in there" ...

And omg let me tell you... When we pulled that curtain... the so called Leg That she saw under the curtain.. was this patients Prosthetic Leg. It was standing up and had a sock and shoe and everything. We did have a sigh of relief that it was just that and that the burgler didn't come back, we did have a great laugh, but we were honestly scared.

And tonight I have to go back again... i'm scared out of my mind because we don't have any security.. and we are all females again. and my facility, is all WINDOWS .. im scared out of my mind and it's not like i can call off! i'm sooo scared. i'm a 5'0 118 pound girl! what am i to do if something happens?! lol


sorry i just had to rant.. thanks for listening

[ReconsMomma]

OMG............I dont blame you. Be careful. DO you have any kind of small weapon that you can take with you and keep in your pocket?? If ever approached by some one kick them in the you know what and/or hit them as hard as you can in the throat. that is what my man teaches me to do.


I wish you the best of luck.

Kelly

[eensor]

5'0" and 115???? And you want sympathy???????? Just kidding! Please make sure somone walks you in and out of the building. Have your cell phone in your hand ready to dial 911 if you have to!

[snoody2004]

Call police to make sure the building safe or call someone take a material that is very hard!
I would also keep a phone with you or a cell in case if the burgler brakesin you can call 911!
Good luck

[milliecorrales]

I have been the victim of assault on three different occasions. I had a man get in my parked car, which I did not discover until I was driving. He had a mask on, a knife, a length of rope and some bath towels in my car. I jumped while the car was moving, got scraped up, but scared me to death. On another occasion, I was leaving a grocery store at 9:00 pm, had just cashed my Xmas bonus check and was held up at gunpoint and my money taken. Further, I went out to empty the trash the day after Thanksgiving and a man entered my apartment, hid in my room and when I discovered him there, attacked me. I know the feeling of fear. The car incident happened 29 years ago and to this day, I will not leave my car unlocked while I run into 7-11 for acup of coffee and I never enter my car without checking the backseat. I do not leave my apartmetn unlocked to walk the 50 feet to the mailbox or to take the dogs for a ten minute walk. All I can tell you is to be aware. Look around you all the time, (don't the windows lock for gods sake) and if you feel that something is wrong, it is! The police told me that if you feel that something is wrong that it is your basic human animal sense protecting you and telling you to flee. I listen to my instincts nowadays, if I don't feel comfortable if a man gets on the elevator with me alone, I get off. If I feel uncomfortable walking to my car across the street from my night job, I either get a security guard or I call the police to escort me. The cops told me that they would rather come out and escort someone to their car than to come out and find a dead body later. Listen to your instincts, talk to your boss about hiring a security guard. Have the police come out and check out your so-called security systems. And by the way, my mom was in a nursing home for 18 years, and CNAs are the unsung heroes, but no patient should be keeping any valuables especially money in their rooms!

[Yorkie_GirL]

Originally Posted by milliecorrales

I have been the victim of assault on three different occasions. I had a man get in my parked car, which I did not discover until I was driving. He had a mask on, a knife, a length of rope and some bath towels in my car. I jumped while the car was moving, got scraped up, but scared me to death. On another occasion, I was leaving a grocery store at 9:00 pm, had just cashed my Xmas bonus check and was held up at gunpoint and my money taken. Further, I went out to empty the trash the day after Thanksgiving and a man entered my apartment, hid in my room and when I discovered him there, attacked me. I know the feeling of fear. The car incident happened 29 years ago and to this day, I will not leave my car unlocked while I run into 7-11 for acup of coffee and I never enter my car without checking the backseat. I do not leave my apartmetn unlocked to walk the 50 feet to the mailbox or to take the dogs for a ten minute walk. All I can tell you is to be aware. Look around you all the time, (don't the windows lock for gods sake) and if you feel that something is wrong, it is! The police told me that if you feel that something is wrong that it is your basic human animal sense protecting you and telling you to flee. I listen to my instincts nowadays, if I don't feel comfortable if a man gets on the elevator with me alone, I get off. If I feel uncomfortable walking to my car across the street from my night job, I either get a security guard or I call the police to escort me. The cops told me that they would rather come out and escort someone to their car than to come out and find a dead body later. Listen to your instincts, talk to your boss about hiring a security guard. Have the police come out and check out your so-called security systems. And by the way, my mom was in a nursing home for 18 years, and CNAs are the unsung heroes, but no patient should be keeping any valuables especially money in their rooms!

Wow! i'm sorry for everything you had to go through, i'm glad that your Ok! and that your still here to talk about it today!

The sad thing about this facility, is.. the windows are locked every night. but the building is so old.. you can open the windows from outside .. and all my CNA's are girls tonight and just as scared as i am LOL.. let me tell you about the police in my area.. they are so mean last night when the cops did come, he was about in his mid 50's.. i told him about the other night when a man came to the door where i worked (my station is by the glass door) and was masturbating. all he said was, ok we'll look intothat, but how old are you, i told him 19, he said, wow your beautiful, and you've got a nice body, so we gotta keep you protected huh.. and then i was like uhhh.. and he said.. i'll be sure to keep my eye on you.. eww i felt so violated lol..

but the cops here will not drive here to walk us to our cars because the parking lot is in a dark alley and the door is about 20 feet away. .. but still, before we had camera's installed (that dont even record anything if we needed it in the future).. guys would break into all the employee's cars and steal things..

But i TOTALLY agree with you on the patient keeping those valuables with him. when we admit a resident we usually take all the expensive belongings and put them in our safe with their name and everything and also do an inventory check so that we know what they have and everything like that, but this particular man refused.

OH did i mention, the room that was broken into, had a chair outside the window. we NEVER put any chairs outside what so ever. that chair came from the dining room. so we are all stumped as to who put that outside.. (the burglar used it to get in the window).. there were large foot prints (im talking like size 14 shoe, the cops measured it lol)..

i'm just scared i guess.. lol

[ssguzzy828]

Get yourselves mace and if you can a stun gun. I would also speak to the head of your dept and demand security or you will consult a lawyer. The home is responsible for your safety as well as those of the patients. Dont wait till something happens to speak up. A chair from the dining room would also make me wonder if someone who works there is not doing this as well. be careful!!!

[natalie]

If it were me, I would SO call into work! My boyfriends house got broken into a few weeks ago and they basically ransacked the house. Ever since, I have felt so nervous going in and out of the house to my car at night when I leave his house (and it's only about 10 feet away!). I make him watch me while I run into my car, throw everything into the passenger seat and check behind me to see if there is anyone and I try to turn on my headlights right away just in case someone was coming! I'm a paranoid freak when bad things happen. When I get home late at night (around 2-3AM), I have to park in the back and walk through our back gate. It is ALWAYS dark back there and I leave my headlights on to see if there is anyone around and then I turn off my lights and engine, grab my purse and run. If it isn't too late, I make my boyfriend stay on the phone with me until I get inside.
I cannot begin to fathom how scared YOU are, especially being a girl! I, also, suggest you take some Mace with you if you have to! Being your penpal, do I have to send it to you?! Come on Khristine! lol, just kidding. Hopefully you'll stay safe. Do you have a computer there? Maybe you can stay on YT all night and we'll try to comfort you!

Be safe!!

[mojo]

Originally Posted by Yorkie_GirL

Wow! i'm sorry for everything you had to go through, i'm glad that your Ok! and that your still here to talk about it today!

The sad thing about this facility, is.. the windows are locked every night. but the building is so old.. you can open the windows from outside .. and all my CNA's are girls tonight and just as scared as i am LOL.. let me tell you about the police in my area.. they are so mean last night when the cops did come, he was about in his mid 50's.. i told him about the other night when a man came to the door where i worked (my station is by the glass door) and was masturbating. all he said was, ok we'll look intothat, but how old are you, i told him 19, he said, wow your beautiful, and you've got a nice body, so we gotta keep you protected huh.. and then i was like uhhh.. and he said.. i'll be sure to keep my eye on you.. eww i felt so violated lol..

but the cops here will not drive here to walk us to our cars because the parking lot is in a dark alley and the door is about 20 feet away. .. but still, before we had camera's installed (that dont even record anything if we needed it in the future).. guys would break into all the employee's cars and steal things..

But i TOTALLY agree with you on the patient keeping those valuables with him. when we admit a resident we usually take all the expensive belongings and put them in our safe with their name and everything and also do an inventory check so that we know what they have and everything like that, but this particular man refused.

OH did i mention, the room that was broken into, had a chair outside the window. we NEVER put any chairs outside what so ever. that chair came from the dining room. so we are all stumped as to who put that outside.. (the burglar used it to get in the window).. there were large foot prints (im talking like size 14 shoe, the cops measured it lol)..

i'm just scared i guess.. lol

Ok, that thing about the cop just really pisses me off! Something needs to be done! Not at all acceptable!!!!!!! If nothing else, maybe a letter to the editor in the local paper.

Another thing I want to say is that your employer is responsible to keep you safe in your workplace and they need to hire a night security guard!! I would not go back to work until they did. Your life is just not worth it.
If they won't do that, switch back to days.

[Marlee]

Originally Posted by eensor

5'0" and 115???? And you want sympathy???????? Just kidding! Please make sure somone walks you in and out of the building. Have your cell phone in your hand ready to dial 911 if you have to!

LOL... sorry had to laugh at that eensor you crack me up!!!

[natalie]

I wonder if Khristine's okay.

[bettyeanne]

ALL THAT pisses me off!!! It's hard to think that there are employers so uncaring that they won't provide for the safety of their employees ... but we all know they are out there!! The other thing is that in the absence of protection by the employer there SHOULD be police protection!! Sounds like the only thing left is self-protection! I am only 4'10" so I have been faced with this problem my entire life ... Natalie's suggestion for mace is a good one [I was thinking gun, but I'm from the South! LOL]. Another thing, my son's step-brother owns a Karate school in Macon, GA and also teaches self-defense courses for women. He gave my daughter-in-law a "thing" that you put your car keys on that makes me cringe every time I see it. It's just a normal looking stainless thing but since I know all the damage you can inflict with it, it turns my stomach! I don't think anyone even notices it when she has it in her hand except me. I will check on it and see about the availability.

In the meantime .... please, please be careful!!!

[eensor]

If you have the cops name, you should definitely file a complaint with his supervisor. We are in the 21st Century now and that is harrassment! Also, I think you should also follow the advice of a preivous poster and tell your boss the working conditions are not safe and you're not going back until they are!

[garzatc]

I don't mean to scare you even more Yorkie_Girl, but I would be careful around that certain policeman. He sounds to friendly. If he knows what is going on their, like no security, cameras that don't record, and that it's a male that is breaking in and they can't catch him. Well, he may try something and he will know who to blame it on, the man that has been breaking in. I would make it clear to your boss and the police department on what is going on and how nothing is being done. Some policemen think they are untouchable because of the uniform and gun and that makes me sick because some think they can get away with breaking the law themselves. Stay strong and be very careful. You have many opportunities to find another job, LVN positions are needed everywhere, it's not like your not going to find another job. But remember you only have one life, it is not worth it and putting your life on the line if you don't have any help. I know the money is good, but if something happens your loved ones will not be able to replace you with all that money you earned. Think about it. I am sorry this is happening to you and I am sorry that I sounded so harsh, but that is not fair and it is scary to think you and your co-workers are having to go through this and no one is listening. They will fix it when something happens. How do the patients family members feel about someone breaking in to their rooms? I bet if they would find out you might have a better case with fighting for a security guard or a security system that worked.
In the mean time take care and keep us updated.
Teresa

[USMARINEWIFE]

Originally Posted by milliecorrales

I have been the victim of assault on three different occasions. I had a man get in my parked car, which I did not discover until I was driving. He had a mask on, a knife, a length of rope and some bath towels in my car. I jumped while the car was moving, got scraped up, but scared me to death. On another occasion, I was leaving a grocery store at 9:00 pm, had just cashed my Xmas bonus check and was held up at gunpoint and my money taken. Further, I went out to empty the trash the day after Thanksgiving and a man entered my apartment, hid in my room and when I discovered him there, attacked me. I know the feeling of fear. The car incident happened 29 years ago and to this day, I will not leave my car unlocked while I run into 7-11 for acup of coffee and I never enter my car without checking the backseat. I do not leave my apartmetn unlocked to walk the 50 feet to the mailbox or to take the dogs for a ten minute walk. All I can tell you is to be aware. Look around you all the time, (don't the windows lock for gods sake) and if you feel that something is wrong, it is! The police told me that if you feel that something is wrong that it is your basic human animal sense protecting you and telling you to flee. I listen to my instincts nowadays, if I don't feel comfortable if a man gets on the elevator with me alone, I get off. If I feel uncomfortable walking to my car across the street from my night job, I either get a security guard or I call the police to escort me. The cops told me that they would rather come out and escort someone to their car than to come out and find a dead body later. Listen to your instincts, talk to your boss about hiring a security guard. Have the police come out and check out your so-called security systems. And by the way, my mom was in a nursing home for 18 years, and CNAs are the unsung heroes, but no patient should be keeping any valuables especially money in their rooms!

Oh my god, that is horrible! I can't believe all of that has happened to you! It so weird, because I see this kind of stuff on TV ALL THE TIME, but you never think it could happen to you? Ya know? There are some weirdos out there!
I've never been attacked before...but this one time, up in Michigan where my parents live, I went to Walgreens to pick up a few things... and while I was sitting in my car, this lady walked up to the passenger window. So I rolled down my window and she was like "Would you please give me a ride to my house, my car is broke down here in the parking lot"... At first I was like No, because I am not the type to just believe anyones "story" or whatever, but she seemed okay, so I let her in my car. Well I was getting ready to leave, and I had noticed there was a two police cars parked in the parking lot. And I was like "Okay, somethings a little weird"... cause the lady was acting kinda strange about seeing the cops sitting there. So I just looked at her and was like "Are they (the cops) looking for you, are you in some kind of trouble??" and she told me yes. The one cop pulled behind my car real fast and turned on his lights. Well it just so happened, that this lady had just tried to rob a bank, and while the cop was searching her purse infront of me, he also found a crack pipe, and bunch of other things she had stolen. I was in shock!!! I told the cops I didn't know her, and that I was just gonna give her a ride. When I finally got home and called my mom at work to tell her, she was SOO mad at me!! And she brought up a good point, what would of happened if I would of gotten this lady to her "house" and she tried to rob me, or steal my car, or tried to hurt me? After that, I will NEVER pick anyone up, no matter how helpless they look. It was so weird that this happened to me, because I am usually good at detecting if people are lying or something weird is going on... but this lady definantly had me fooled. And her being a woman probably had a lot to do with it also... cause I'd be more likely to give a woman a ride in my car than a man.... Cause you hear more about men doing things like this, not woman. But you can't trust anyone nowadays, and looks are very, very decieving!

I learned my lesson! Big time. Scared me to death!