Police are trained to use a force continuum as a means to quickly secure the public safety, not to attempt to act as trained social workers or medical personnel. I can't remember the last time I noted a merit LE position that required as much as an associates degree, much less requiring credentials for such a population.
Maybe I missed it...were the LEO's informed of his condition BEFORE they had to deal with him or after?
They should have had a clue considering they would have had to be let on the unit since it was locked?
Jake
.....Lets save the pain compliance for criminals, not the sick. No one's life was in danger here, except the dementia patient.......
I also know that an old man only has so much strength, and a couple of police could've handled him without tazing him.
Clearly sedation is the way to go here, but have you guys ever fought a demented or psychotic patient? Stronger than regular folks I can assure you. EMS cannot give IM sedatives without getting clearance from a physician if it's not for airway control.
To provide guidelines for sedation of patients who are potentially violent or agitated and who may harm themselves or others.
Violent or agitated patients:
a. Use restraints protocol
b. If patient's condition is of danger to self or crew administer versed 3-5 mg SIVP/IM/IN q 5-10 minutes up to 10mg total. (Use lower dose or fentanyl in elderly, smaller size or those in which excessive sedation from other meds or hypotension are concerns; ie. sepsis, dehydration, trauma, BP borderline already, etc). OR use Fentanyl 1-2 mcg/kg SIVP every 5-10minutes as needed for sedation
This sickens me to no end. No more tasers for cops.. take that tool away. Just too trigger happy... they are in all counties
Martin Tased Howard five times — four times while on the ground, according to employees who witnessed the incident.
Both NH staff and police are at fault here but more weight should be on the NH. The officer should not have been fired.
1st rule when dealing with confused and agitated patients is to give him his space and time to calm down. He was in his room and they should have left him alone.
Aside from the inability or difficulty to process verbal or tactile commands/cues, he is already over stimulated by all the ruckus going on around him. STAFF SHOULD KNOW THIS! they only made it worse by calling police. It shows how poorly trained the staff are.
By calling somebody that are not trained to care or handle situation involving dementia/ alzheimers is only making the whole situation go out of control.
Once you have the mindset to just clear a room without really knowing what / how a certain patient responds, this kind of event happen.
What would you do if you were placed in an enclosed space facing a lion with instructions to walk him outside and you are armed with a taser? (i know, poor analogy) lion trainers need not reply........
Or just take both of them when they're having a really bad day, taze em' half a dozen times, and call it even.I still think the administrator should be fired before the officer.