I got off the elevator on the tenth floor. I came around the corner and saw an elderly woman leaving her room. I also saw a sign on the door that said "Bed Alarm". What this means is that if a patient is confused and is in danger of getting out of bed and falling or wandering off, this alarm will sound to let people know that this particular patient has gotten out of bed. I said to this little lady. "Hi, where are you going?" She told me that she wanted a snack. I told her that I would ask her nurse, and could I help her back to bed while she waited for the answer. I barely got those words out of my mouth when her RN came out of a room two doors down. He was very angry at her being out of her room. He began to holler at her to get back into bed and then he began to push her into the room. She told him to get his hands off of her. He then told her, "I will pick you up like a sack of potatoes and throw you over my shoulder and put you back into bed." I stopped and told him to be gentle. He again threaten the lady and got behind her to pick her up. I again cautioned him to be gentle. He pushed her again and I got angry. I went to the Supervisor of the Floor, the Director of the Floor, the Nursing Supervisor, my supervisor, the Director of my department and one other person. I am proud to say that he was fired. I am also proud to say that I had a part in getting him fired. Actually, it was his own bullying that got him fired. What kind of man picks on a little elderly lady. I told the director of his floor that what I witnessed made me think that maybe he abuses his wife and children. He needs to strong arm the weak in order to feel that he is a strong man.

It is a sad state of affairs when one learns that the elderly are endanger from their own children, the health care professionals, or people who are supposed to be protecting them. Shame on us as a society if we choose to "mind our own business" when any sort of abuse or violence occurs.

Become involved...and hope that someone will do the same when it is your mother who is being bullied.

Learn more about this author, Renee Dawson.
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