Ambulance attendants accused of molesting patients

[VentMedic]

No need to yell, dearie. Calm down

It still doesn't address how you are going to PREVENT EMT's and Medics from molesting patients if they have no prior history before the incident. Or are you just gonna tell their alleged victim "Sorry, I know you felt you were molested but hey! At least we have back ground checks so people with prior offenses don't get hired!"

I like the idea of psychological testing.

Knock off the dearie crap.

Are you really going to tell me you are this clueless as to what to do if you suspect suspicious behavior from a partner? Or, are you flattered because he made the same sexual remarks to you. And, what some may consider inappropriate touching, you invite it while at work?

Sit yourself down and read through the Florida Statutes. If that is not enough info for you, go through their website. I also advise you to take a domestic violence class so you understand the reporting laws of the state.

 

[Sasha]

Knock off the dearie crap.

Are you really going to tell me you are this clueless as to what to do if you suspect suspicious behavior from a partner? Or, are you flattered because he made the same sexual remarks to you and what some may consider inappropriate touching, you invite it while at work?

Sit yourself down and read through the Florida Statutes. If that is not enough info for you, go through their website. I also advise you to take a domestic violence class so you understand the reporting laws of the state.

No need to get insulting. No, that is NOT what I'm talking about at all. WHat if there is no prior offense, no prior behavior to indicate that the person in question was going to commit such a crime or act? What if there was no indication that your partner was going to go groping a man or woman in the back, and he did one day and was reported by the patient? There is not ALWAYS prior indications that the offender is going to sexually assault or batter a person. What good is your background check then, after the crime is already commited and the person is already lost their license and/or in jail?

That is what I'm talking about! Background checks are NOT going to work as a preventive measure against people with no prior history.

 

[VentMedic]

No need to get insulting. No, that is NOT what I'm talking about at all. WHat if there is no prior offense, no prior behavior to indicate that the person in question was going to commit such a crime or act? What if there was no indication that your partner was going to go groping a man or woman in the back, and he did one day and was reported by the patient? There is not ALWAYS prior indications that the offender is going to sexually assault or batter a person. What good is your background check then, after the crime is already commited and the person is already lost their license and/or in jail?

That is what I'm talking about! Background checks are NOT going to work as a preventive measure against people with no prior history.

So you are against backgroud checks? Ever wonder why EMS can not move forward. We meet more resistance from EMS providers each time some safe guards are introduced that will benefit both the patient and the provider.

Why are you so against the concept of policing your own? You don't have to stalk your partner but just be more aware. If you notice them touching the patients in a way that appears to be groping, whether intentional or not, you might mention it. They might just be unskilled at assessment and their hands are still moving clumsily. You may even offer them advice to keep them from getting a wrongful complaint filed. However, if your work computer is full of child pornography, you may have a co-worker with a different and more serious problem.

You can't prevent it all but that doesn't mean you can't try.

 

[Sasha]

So you are against backgroud checks? Ever wonder why EMS can not move forward. We meet more resistance from EMS providers each time some safe guards are introduced that will benefit both the patient and the provider.

Why are you so against the concept of policing your own? You don't have to stalk your partner but just be more aware. If you notice them touching the patients in a way that appears to be groping, whether intentional or not, you might mention it. They might just be unskilled at assessment and their hands are still moving clumsily. You may even offer them advice to keep them from getting a wrongful complaint filed. However, if your work computer is full of child pornography, you may have a co-worker with a different and more serious problem.

You can't prevent it all but that doesn't mean you can't try.

I'm not against background checks. I'm against articles like the one you posted who are in it purely for shock value. If you look at it in perspective, considering the amount of patients transported each year, the amount of sexually related crimes reported each year, and the amount of them that are commited by someone, on or off duty EMS, then it's not as much of a crisis as the article and some posters are making it out to be.

I'm not saying it's acceptable.

Background checks are lovely, I haven't applied anywhere that didn't use a background AND refrence check. I haven't seen schools that don't require background checks to even enter their program. I was unaware that it wasn't a national requirement to background check people when being hired into the medical field.

I'm not against policing your own, by any means. I'm just being realistic, it's going to happen. The best thing you can do is take appropriate action to ensure that person is not with patients again once they've sexually assaulted or battered a patient, and to educate the public as to what is and isn't approrpriate in a physical exam to prevent false accusations. Also, I think it would be wonderful to get video cameras that record in the back of the trucks, not only could it be helpful in sitatuions like these, but great for QA following a bad call.

 

[YYCmedic]

I'm not against policing your own, by any means. I'm just being realistic, it's going to happen. The best thing you can do is take appropriate action to ensure that person is not with patients again once they've sexually assaulted or battered a patient, and to educate the public as to what is and isn't approrpriate in a physical exam to prevent false accusations. Also, I think it would be wonderful to get video cameras that record in the back of the trucks, not only could it be helpful in sitatuions like these, but great for QA following a bad call.

I agree... unfortunately no matter how good a background check is it wont catch the ones whos brains havent popped yet. I think more EMS services need to start using psychiatric evaluations of candidates like most of the police and fire services use. Even a psychiatric evaluation is not going to catch everyone... it is going to happen. I feel that the article it is purely for shock value, yes it is a problem no matter how many times it happens, but like Sasha said, given the amount of calls and transports that happen each year the problem is not as large as the article makes it out to be. So far this year my service has responded to 88996 calls (as of the end of my last night shift)...not aware of any accusations on anyone thus far!

Also, in our units we already have cameras that record your calls with video/audio and store them for a month in a central archive at HQ incase a call goes bad in any way, be it an accusation of sexual assault or a pt becoming abusive.