[PeachPie]

Violence towards healthcare workers, or anybody for that matter, makes me so mad.

Hospital security staff are being equipped with stab-proof vests, shields and helmets to protect them against violent patients and relatives.The protection is available to staff at hospitals in Cheshire in response to an unprecedented numbers of assualts against doctors and nurses.
Last year across the UK, there were 75,000 attacks on NHS staff - one every seven minutes.

I wish that battery cases in hospitals were as publicized and prosecuted as rapes, murders, child molestations, etc. Then maybe people wouldn't take us for granted and assume that we're easy prey.

[oramar]

What shocks me is that this article is about the UK. I know in general the behavior of US citizens is bad but somehow I thought it was better in UK.

[CrufflerJJ]

Originally Posted by PeachPie

<from the web article>
Hospital security staff are being equipped with stab-proof vests, shields and helmets to protect them against violent patients and relatives.The protection is available to staff at hospitals in Cheshire in response to an unprecedented numbers of assualts against doctors and nurses.

Sorry, but this seems a bit silly. It's probably my "American" perspective on things vs the British "touchy-feely kinder/gentler" approach.

By the time their "security staff" puts on their super-duper Bat-vests, puts on their Bat-deflector helmet, and slips the Bat-shield on their arm, the wacko patient or family has already beat or stabbed the <xxxx> out of the hospital employees.

Here in the Dayton, OH area, most of the local ERs have armed hospital police in the ER. These aren't "rent-a-cops." They wear concealed body armor, carry pistols, Tasers, OC (pepper spray), ASP collapsing batons ("Tonya Harding specials"), plus a few things concealed (if they're smart). As a volunteer medic, I've worn a concealed vest on the street for about the past 13 years.

When our ambulance pulls into an ER in a less than friendly area, it's typically met by one of the hospital police, just to make sure that everybody stays nice & friendly.

If somebody gets stupid in the ER, the security staff is right there to "solve the problem."

If you read the article, you'll note that the equipment is all defensive in nature - helmet, shield, vest. Once again, that's great if you want to go hand-to-hand with a drugged up knife wielder, and only get cut 2 out of 8 slashes (on arms, legs, face, neck). Sorry, but that doesn't work for me.

If Gumby-the-wacko has a knife, it's a lethal force threat & should be handled as such. IF you have a backup person with a firearm aimed at that person, then you might take the time to Tase them. Otherwise, solve the problem. Permanently.

[PeachPie]

Originally Posted by oramar

What shocks me is that this article is about the UK. I know in general the behavior of US citizens is bad but somehow I thought it was better in UK.

A lot of my British friends had moved here because they couldn't stand the nanny-state and liked to keep large portions of their paychecks.

[RGN1]

Originally Posted by PeachPie

A lot of my British friends had moved here because they couldn't stand the nanny-state and liked to keep large portions of their paychecks.

You're not kidding there! It's why I'm coming over once retrogression gets sorted!

As far as the violence goes it's not so good in some inner city ER's but they are stepping up security & are supposed to be taking it seriously but if you read the UK nursing thread titled "GBH on the NHS" things are not so great. personally I've never really had much of a problem but I've been ward based most of my career.

[Gromit]

Well, the security staff in our facility are a bunch of full-back bodytypes, and are a true 'no nonsense' kind of guys. They aren't brutes, but they DO know how to keep things peaceful -they are certainly the kind of guys you want in your corner if something were to get ugly.

[trainer2070]

I personally dont like firearms in the ER or anywhere in the hospital. I'm all for ASP's, OC spray although I prefer foam for inside use, and concealable level IIIA ballistic and level III stab resistant body armor and tasers.

[Gromit]

while you're at it, I wouldn't like having anyone who wishes to do harm to others inside the ER either Though I can certainly see how having firearms in such a setting would be a BAD thing.

[CrufflerJJ]

Originally Posted by trainer2070

I personally dont like firearms in the ER or anywhere in the hospital. I'm all for ASP's, OC spray although I prefer foam for inside use, and concealable level IIIA ballistic and level III stab resistant body armor and tasers.

IIIA or III? Sounds pretty hot & bulky, though I guess in a nice air conditioned hospital the heat might not be that hateful.

For use "in the field", give me a nice flexible, concealable IIA vest any day.

[trainer2070]

I have a IIIA concealable with level III stab resistant. I didn't mind IIIA balistic by itself, but I will admit the combo of the stab and ballistic is very annoying. But then again I like to go home the way I came in.

Originally Posted by CrufflerJJ

IIIA or III? Sounds pretty hot & bulky, though I guess in a nice air conditioned hospital the heat might not be that hateful.

For use "in the field", give me a nice flexible, concealable IIA vest any day.