[nursebedlam]

Hospital criticized for stun gun use

LOS ANGELES, CA, Jun. 5 (UPI) -- A Los Angeles County hospital has 23 days to find ways to subdue patients without using stun guns or risk losing more than half of its $350 million budget.

The Los Angeles Times reported Saturday federal inspectors are threatening to cut off funding at Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center because of excessive use of Taser stun guns.

Since March 2003, eight patients have been shocked with Tasers by county police using incapacitating jolts of electricity without trying less-extreme methods first, said Steven Chickering, a regional manager with the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Most hospitals never use Tasers and call in specially trained medical personnel to calm patients or subdue them with medication or minimal force, according to Chickering.

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-break...4758-6412r.htm

[fergus51]

Ah, I say taser the whole lot of them. Maybe then, they'll stop being abusive and disruptive

[oramar]

Originally Posted by fergus51

Ah, I say taser the whole lot of them. Maybe then, they'll stop being abusive and disruptive

We all know that hospital personel are being attacked even murdered at ever increasing pace. Sometimes you just gota do what you gota do. If you notice it says, "county police" are using these things. When these people get abusive the cops are called and they use force. Why are hospital funds being threatened? Why not threaten law inforcement funds.

[fergus51]

Seems to me this is just meant to discourage staff from calling the police, which just further endangers staff and other patients.

[mattsmom81]

Originally Posted by fergus51

Seems to me this is just meant to discourage staff from calling the police, which just further endangers staff and other patients.

That is my take on it too. Nurse coworkers who wish to call police have been reprimanded by administrators in my area. Our local police have been shocked to hear what we are expected to deal with.

This man must have been totally out of control (I picture an angel dust or similar drugged out, violent patient for example) for the cops to have taser'd him. Hope nobody was seriously hurt.

[obeyacts2]

I had a few instances where I wished I had a stun gun to use

Seriously, I think they are using funding as a club to keep the medical workers from calling the police in. If the truth was really out about how dangerous this work can be, things would change.

If somebody I was caring for was that out of control, and the usual methods didnt work, Im calling the cops and my agency can just get over it. I am not getting injured or maimed for 8.50/hr.


Laura

[stressednurse]

Yup a few times it would have been nice to just stun em. I have used physical restraint a few times, yanked a guys undies so high behind he sang soprano for a few days...but the dude was getting ready to club a coworker with an IV pump from behind and she would have never know what hit her. That patient didn't have any idea what he was doing and couldn't even answer questions. DT's again........they take up so much of our time, again and again and again and again until their liver fails and then they take up our time again as they die and family can't figure out why or how this happened.

[TaeKwonDoRN]

One way: I say use one of those dart guns that hunters use which will put them to sleep. Whachamacall'ems? That'll calm 'em down without using Tasers. Plus No complains will come out of them for a while. Hey, it's not a stun gun. Just a thought.

[caroladybelle]

Are they hiring??????

Please??

Pretty Please?

[mattsmom81]

Did anyone notice the Google ad below our thread advertising great deals on stun guns??