Very disturbing...one of our frequent psych patients (d/c'd) was picked up by the police. For what, I don't know. But I've never known the guy to assaultive. Agitated at times, yes. Assaultive, no.
Police apparently had him and he got agitated. He was Taser'd a few times and died when he got to our hospital.
This is the fourth time *this year* that police in our area have ended up killing a psych patient. Mostly from Tasering, once from being 'restrained' according to the news.
I just think police need some training on dealing with mentally ill people. This is a crying shame. Mentally ill and agitated is not the same as criminal!
I have worked forensic nursing in the past year. Proven fact: tasers do not kill people. not one case has been proven. the damage to a person on the receiving end comes from the fall sustained after the taser is applied. Officers in my area are trained to control the persons fall. there are always situations that this may have not occured. One should learn of non lethal interventions before making such bold statements.
Tazers were not designed to kill people, but then, neither were automobiles. Sometimes, spit happens. Then, you re-evaluate, investigate, and use what you learned to prevent it from happening again. (I have worked forensic nursing for an aggregate of 14 years, jails, prisons and hospitals.)
Specializes in ICU;CCU;Telemetry;L&D;Hospice;ER/Trauma;.
In Chicago, you don't have to be a criminal or be doing something criminal in order to be tasered, or shot, or beat up by a cop or two in a bar on their OFF DUTY HOURS....apparently, Chicago has a BIG nest of bad cops who believe that because they carry a badge and a gun that it gives them the right to abuse innocent people. It's ironic that over 32 children have been shot on their way to school in Chicago this last year, yet, the cops choose to beat up tiny female bartenders and kill innocent developementally delayed people all in the name of "serve and protect".....crni
Specializes in ICU;CCU;Telemetry;L&D;Hospice;ER/Trauma;.
I also agree with the above posters that in the recent Chicago police using tasers, IT DID KILL THE INDIVIDUAL....he was DOA to the hospital....and was standing up and alive before they arrived....inside his own house....soooooo, something had to have happened between when he was tasered THREE times and when he finally stopped breathing....he did not fall, or hit his head....they killed him.....duh.
sanctuary, BSN, MSN, RN
467 Posts
Tazers were not designed to kill people, but then, neither were automobiles. Sometimes, spit happens. Then, you re-evaluate, investigate, and use what you learned to prevent it from happening again. (I have worked forensic nursing for an aggregate of 14 years, jails, prisons and hospitals.)