r/ABA • u/[deleted] • 19h ago

I protected my wheelchair bound patient from another patient who got violent now I’m being investigated by the company I work for

[deleted]

3 Upvotes

64% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

7

u/Expendable_Red_Shirt BCBA 18h ago

I don't know why your coworker decided to bring a patient she's only had for 2 days and is afraid of into the community but that's another topic.

You pepper sprayed a client. Of course your agency is going to investigate. Could you image them not?

3

u/JesTheTaerbl Education 17h ago

Do your BTs typically carry pepper spray? The use of a weapon by a staff member against a client is 100% something to be reviewed. It's never allowed to use pain compliance so pepper spray is definitely against policy, to say nothing of ethics concerns. In any major escalation resulting in staff and client injury, I would be concerned if no one reviewed the situation. So, I get the stress you're feeling from being under investigation but it's completely reasonable in this case whether you end up in trouble or not.

I understand you were in fight-or-flight and don't have training specific to this client, and I feel for you on that. I'm so sorry you ended up in this situation where you felt you had no other option. If this is not unusual for that client, he shouldn't have been in a situation where you couldn't clear the area, with another client who is particularly vulnerable, and with only one person who knows his plan (and was brand new to working with him!). Yeah, you fucked up, but from the information given someone else also fucked up letting this happen.

4

u/MoveOrganic5785 18h ago

You pepper sprayed a patient????

3

u/TheSpiffyCarno 18h ago

Why THE F do you even have pepper spray while working? And no you didn’t defend your client you PEPPER SPRAYED one.

You should NOT have agreed to meet up with this client for any reason if you are carrying pepper spray and feel comfortable and in the right to use it on them. You sound untrained in how to respond to those behaviors.

I’d have let you go, I’m sorry, but that’s absolutely insane

1

u/MoveOrganic5785 18h ago

If I was the parent I would sue

2

u/TheSpiffyCarno 17h ago

I would too! These clients go to therapy and work with people who are expected to be able to keep them safe, and understand their behaviors. Not respond with violence.

As a provider of a form of therapy it’s our duty to understand that our clients have aggressive behaviors, how to respond, and work on it with them. This is why safety training is so important. You need to learn how to use restraints and holds to ethically and safely respond.

I’d be so livid.

2

u/caritadeatun 17h ago

Like, how old was the aggressor? I think his age may be important, if he’s a teen or adult too big and strong to block or restraint his attacks then the use of pepper spray may have more mitigating factors, problem is he’s not an animal or a person doing it with a criminal intent, it’s like pepper spraying an advance dementia person. The JRC deploys physical force on aggressive residents or to deter self-injury by using something similar to a remote controlled taser , nobody is going to jail over that yet. Not that I agree but pepper spray compared to electroshock sounds benign. Let the investigation run its course, I don’t think you’ll be charged of anything

3

u/Leftover_Twinkie 17h ago

Bruhhhh... I been biten, stabbed with a push pin or needle pin, had poop thrown at me... pee'd on, as well as a tricycle being tossed at me.

Not once I had to pepper spray or restraint a patient... most is just blocking or 'barbie hands'.

I mean... the proper way is to follow crisis intervention mode... but I understand 'everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face' - Mike Tyson.

I would also bring up the BCBA at HR on thinking how it was a good idea to bring a patient around others even after the RBT saying important information.

'What can go wrong... will go wrong' - Murphys Law.