Video RN screaming, dragged into police car d/t refused blood draw on unconscious patient!

[SummitRN]

July 31 2017, guy fleeing police crosses median and slams into truck and dies. The truck catches fire severely burning the innocent driver, Mr. Gray, who was taken to SLC University. Police later showed up demanding to the UNCONSCIOUS innocent patient's blood. RN Alex shows them the policy requiring consent, arrest, or a warrant. Hospital administration back up RN Alex.

Police aggressively arrest RN Alex and removes her from the hospital. Officer body cam insanity released today:

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE:

Video shows Utah nurse screaming, being dragged into police car after refusing to let officer take blood from unconscious victim - The Salt Lake Tribune

Long video body cam:

In this video, the aggressive officer can be heard saying that he will ensure all the "transients" are brought to this hospitals ED since they won't cooperate after being told the administrators and privacy officer are on their way.

Original Crash (graphic):

Interesting note about Alex, she was a 2x Olympian, US Ski Team member, and national champion is Slalom and GS.

[yourshoesareuntied]

Freaking A..this boils my blood.. with my training in Israeli Combatives this POS would have been in that hospital's ICU in short order. I'm like a fat Jason Bourne..he would never see it coming...maybe I should insert a LOL...or ..yes that should do it.

[rzyzzy]

Aaaaand.. the patient/victim the officer wanted the blood from is a reserve deputy.. His department thanked the nurse for protecting his rights.

The Latest: Officer who arrested Utah nurse put on leave - The Washington Post

[SummitRN, BSN, RN]

This nurse was illegally detained and will very likely be written a check. I wonder what the Utah law is on this-- IF it requires consent, this LEO has ****** the GOAT and tho will prolly only be hand slapped, cause that's the crappy world we live in these days, but he deserves to be fired. The only way "bad behavior" changes is the threat of badness coming their way and being fired.

Sometimes the most powerful comment in the Federal Court system is —

"Fine, let's just go to jail." I'd had enough of a crazy acting state trooper in a hospital ER and found the back of a Crown Vic safer than the hall of a hospital.

I wasn't a nurse (just a medic) and circumstances were different, but taking medical providers into custody and jail is a big deal and should not be taken lightly by a hyped up out of control State Police Detective working uniform with an agenda - it might not end well for the police. Make sure you know where you stand. Ironically, he was warned too.

Yep, I went to a jail cell from a hospital. I was out in an hour. Charges were formally dismissed within 48 hours.

I hired the meanest, smartest MF in a suit (criminal defense attorney) @ 10k.

I went on a brutal offense.

Ultimately I took that state trooper into civil recovery in Federal Court (US District & Circuit Appeals) and SEATED A JURY.

The decisions are unpublished, but can be cited with permission.

Tho it ended in a somewhat "forced" settlements, the case still topped mid six figure recovery to me.

Allnurses.com may facilitate and release my contact info to this Utah nurse.

I still believe that we (LEO) are on the same side. The rogues have to be exposed for what they are. Investigations that may be biased have to be exposed for what they are. If everyone just does their job, it's all cool. In my experience these situations only exist when a bias exists.

Play nice.

Stay safe.

:angel:

Thank you for this valuable post

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

The woman was being assaulted. Security should have restrained the cop, but I know they didn't know what to do. I would have called another police department immediately to help intervene because he was not being a cop he was being a criminal threat. It was an illegal arrest and the lawyer was even on the phone and knew it! Hopefully this will be make new things be in place so that you can protect yourself from awol cops and others in the ER

U should be ashamed for telling that woman to shut up and take it, she was clearly afraid for her life and didn't know what to do, I'm sure the cop looked like he was gonna kill her... Shame on you how are you a nurse with that kind of "empathy"

If you see a cop being suspicious or illegally arresting your pt it could be your job to do that. Think of it that way. I've seen cops try to take away pts that weren't healthy enough to leave! You have to do what you can to protect your pt. That may mean calling a different department (like county, or your local, any different depot) and reporting the activity as suspicious, or dangerous and then the two departments can figure out what to do and you have protection. Like someone said we have to think like this all the time as nurses no excuse not to apply that to this situation! Poor woman.

I just hate it when people post things like "Shame on you how are you a nurse with that kind of 'empathy'". "Compassion" and "empathy" are becoming dirty words, used to bash people with whom you disagree.

Interfering with an arrest may be illegal. Whether or not the arrest is actually legal, interfering with it or resisting it can get you shot. Or arrested. Or both.

The video is shocking and horrifying. But to blame Security (probably unarmed) for not interfering is poor critical thinking.

[rzyzzy]

Hospital security interfering, no - the university officer- not as bright of a line.

In any case, the officer was obviously out-of-control when he grabbed the nurse & could have very easily started whaling on her. I think the hospital staff did fine by keeping her in sight, but I'd sure hope someone would prevent him from leaving the facility with her, or intervening if he continued to attack her. As it was, she got put in one of their "pain compliance " holds, which was completely unjustified.

I just hate it when people post things like "Shame on you how are you a nurse with that kind of 'empathy'". "Compassion" and "empathy" are becoming dirty words, used to bash people with whom you disagree.

Interfering with an arrest may be illegal. Whether or not the arrest is actually legal, interfering with it or resisting it can get you shot. Or arrested. Or both.

The video is shocking and horrifying. But to blame Security (probably unarmed) for not interfering is poor critical thinking.

[Ruas61, BSN, RN]

I bet his career is over.

[SouthpawRN]

I was surprised there was not a mob of nurses, Dr's, techs etc out there to stand up for the nurse. I have a feeling that where I work that it would have been a much different scene. Our head of security is also a retired state police commander and would have been there very quickly as well I would hope.

[MunoRN, RN]

I just hate it when people post things like "Shame on you how are you a nurse with that kind of 'empathy'". "Compassion" and "empathy" are becoming dirty words, used to bash people with whom you disagree.

Interfering with an arrest may be illegal. Whether or not the arrest is actually legal, interfering with it or resisting it can get you shot. Or arrested. Or both.

The video is shocking and horrifying. But to blame Security (probably unarmed) for not interfering is poor critical thinking.

I would agree had it been hospital security staff responsible for maintaining order in the ED, but in the case it was UT State police officers staffing the ED, these officers are considered a co-equal municipality in terms of their scope.

Obviously this has brought up discussions in ED rooms, mine is staffed by City PD, although a number of various municipalities come through the ED. They may have just been trying to be supportive to their fellow ED staff, but they were pretty clear that they would have no problem intervening and physically stopping another LEO who appeared to be taking inappropriate action. It's not clear why this didn't happen in this case.

[ILUVERNSG, MSN, RN]

What is going on in this country??? Are we going INSANE?

This is officer needs to have his feet held to the fire on this one. If he acts this way to a reasonable and rational caregiver, how does he treat everyone else?

DISGRACEFUL!!!

[operations]

I just hate it when people post things like "Shame on you how are you a nurse with that kind of 'empathy'". "Compassion" and "empathy" are becoming dirty words, used to bash people with whom you disagree.

Interfering with an arrest may be illegal. Whether or not the arrest is actually legal, interfering with it or resisting it can get you shot. Or arrested. Or both.

The video is shocking and horrifying. But to blame Security (probably unarmed) for not interfering is poor critical thinking.

Oh no honey I am making an observation (an yes it is an opinion) , I'm am not "tainting the word empathy" or whatever you call it. In the context of being nurses we don't need to downplay when people are not being empathetic, it's our job, and you are not gonna turn that around on me. Thanks.

[TriciaJ, RN]

This LEO is a danger to the general public.

This is not a situation where re-education could/should allow someone to keep his job. He knows the dang laws about consent unless he just moved to SL from Timbuktu the same day this happened. He knew full well and willfully escalated this situation.

I do not feel that it is overly dramatic to believe that he is a sociopath.

Never been involved in a lawsuit in my life, but I would see this through and seek whatever legal relief applies, to the absolute max.

Kudos to the nurse. What a fine example of a professional.

If this behaviour is typical for that cop, his coworkers will be the first to rejoice when he is fired. No one likes a loose cannon in their midst. He gives everyone a bad rep and could get someone killed.

[JBudd, MSN]

Her two security officers were out there with her, objecting, and being threatened with arrest (the idiot actually pointed to another officer and said they would be taken away by that officer). One uniformed officer came up behind the idiot and tried to calm him but no use (it was a very brief try).

My problem is, why didn't the all the other uniformed police in the area intervene? Yeah, we back each other up, but this was extreme abuse of power.

I hope if anything similar ever happens to me, I handle it with as much dignity as she has shown in the aftermath.