HAve you been battered by a patient or bystander?

Were you attacked and injured by a patient or bystander? (See first reply).

  • I have been attacked and injured by a patient or bystander on the job requiring medical treatment.

    Votes: 7 10.9%

  • I have been attacked and injured by a patient or bystander on the job and did not require treatment.

    Votes: 40 62.5%

  • I have never been attacked and injured on the job because I used or threatened bodily force.

    Votes: 3 4.7%

  • I have never been attacked and injured on the job and I have not threatened or used bodily force.

    Votes: 14 21.9%
  • Total voters
    64
ANy new folks have replies for this?

;) Comments?
 
2002. Punched in the head by a 76yo geripsych grandma. She kicked my partner in the gonads. No injury no requiring any treatment.
 
I was once hit in the face when I tried to start an IV on a pt. who OD'd on benzos...that was in clinicals though, since then, I've been scrape free :P
 
A lot of rough psych patients, one drunk kid, and a combative postictal patient.

Been a few months though. I've learned a few tricks to keep things from escalating to that point. If those don't work, pressure points are awesome to help restrain someone without hurting them.
 
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Never seriously injured doing IFT, lots of threats by altered patients and a few incidents during restraint placement, but no injuries other than small bruises. I've had one partner kicked in the head (black eye) and one who almost lost a finger to a bite. There was no protocol in place for aggressive/violent patients at that job other than hope the facility staff could do something. That service also had no behavioral emergency training. I'm glad I'm no longer there; where I am now, we have specific training for it along with restraint practice (so everyone is on the same page).

Once during a water rescue, PT panicked and my arm got banged about (took 7 stitches to the elbow) - 2005.

Three times during a tactical response (in a medic role) - hit with a baseball bat (minor concussion) by a bystander who became a patient - 2004, stabbed once - 2003, shot once - 2003.

Most of my injuries have been self-inflicted. Normally involving my head and a cabinet or door, stuck IV poles, or rolling an ankle.
 
Had a psych patient get out of the restraints and start swinging. He only made contact once before I manually restrained him. Called the super and let him know then had PD meet us enroute and transport the patient to jail for assult.

That's the only time a patient has ever made contact with me.
 
Not "attacked" but struck. Repeatedly. In the junk.

Seizure pt's while starting lines on the bench seat. (My own fault, but lodging their arm in my legs helps stabilize when theys doin the funky chicken)
 
http://www.emsworld.com/article/10442064/call-to-arms
"Is it time for EMS providers to start packing?"

without going into the guns on ambulances, the take home point is pretty clear:
Make no mistake: There are some people out there who want to do harm to you, and that’s the bottom line. There are some people who, either because of mental illness or desperation or because they just want to produce a body count, are looking to do harm, and they’re going to find the softest target they can find to do it. Unfortunately, we fall into that category.
Click to expand...
 
While I don't agree with having armed medics (that's a whole other thread topic). Given the high percentage of incidents, I feel that threats, assaults, and behavioral emergencies should be addressed by agencies. The best way to achieve this is by high quality risk assessment training and training in the handling of psych patients. The best way to prevent an incident is by identifying the risk factors and preparing for them. There's evidence of a gap in training just on these boards with the repetitive question of "what to do if you come across a firearm?" type threads.

I would be curious of how many services/agencies actually train their employees on firearm safety, leo interaction, psych calls, etc. We are all taught to assess for "scene safety" during class, but how many courses just give that lip service and how many courses actually teach someone to do a scene assessment in regards to safety?

Milla3p - not hiring that I know of, since they're pulling alot of contracts out of the Kuwait/Afghanistan area due to drawdown.
 
Update to my original vote of no. Last week had a call for an altered patient. Gave them the basic ALS workup - patient has a documented history of liver failure with frequent ALOC due to elevated ammonia levels. I had taken this patient before and he is normally not violent. He is very lethargic and non-verbal by the time that his facility calls 911. The last time I had him we were transferring him to the ED bed when he became agitated and kicked me in the chest. I was able to pull back so it was more glancing than solid but I was sore for a few hours.
 
You know (a little off topic but...) that article about EMT being armed is a good article as far as discussion points for EMS. I work transport in Compton/Crenshaw/Inglewood/South Central L.A.and even though were a BLS rig, We have a nice big "CCT" on the side which makes us more prone to an incident of crime or violence. Having kevlar and/or the right to a CCW on the job would be a nice addition for MY safety.

Having said that, I have not yet had the fun of being assaulted... yet..... :unsure:
 
firecoins said:
There should be another option;

I have been attacked and NOT injured by a patient or bystander on the job and did not require treatment. And did not require use of force by anyone.
Click to expand...


^ This.
 
Got punched and split my lip open by a drunk and high dumbass.

325.
 
I'm the only EMT at my company who has never been assaulted or struck in any way. I thinks its due to my size, at 6'4 I'm bigger then 99.99% of my patients, so they think twice about going after me and hit my partner instead.

That being said, I did do a ocean rescue where the drowning subject was flailing around abd tried to use me as a PFD. He got knocked out
 
Please do not let this become a "ccw" sandbox.

Thanks for the cooperation so far. I wish OSHA could see these results.
 
AlphaButch said:
While I don't agree with having armed medics (that's a whole other thread topic). Given the high percentage of incidents, I feel that threats, assaults, and behavioral emergencies should be addressed by agencies. The best way to achieve this is by high quality risk assessment training and training in the handling of psych patients. The best way to prevent an incident is by identifying the risk factors and preparing for them. There's evidence of a gap in training just on these boards with the repetitive question of "what to do if you come across a firearm?" type threads.

I would be curious of how many services/agencies actually train their employees on firearm safety, leo interaction, psych calls, etc. We are all taught to assess for "scene safety" during class, but how many courses just give that lip service and how many courses actually teach someone to do a scene assessment in regards to safety?
Click to expand...

I only know of one place around here that teaches scene safety, and they're not very thorough. When I'm working with students, I always try to make up for that.

Most of what I know about scene safety I learned from other fields. I was actually at less risk in those places than here. Patients have hit me a few times, but I've never been hurt. I've had a few times where I've talked someone down, too.
 
During a transfer to dialysis a 76 year old, non-English speaking male apparently thought I kidnapped him and struck me six or eight times in the face and chest. I would have moved away but he managed to get his hands through the front of my six point harness, making it so I couldn't get out of the seat. I got his hands apart eventually and then moved away. The only injury was to my pride, and my partners abs from all the laughing.

Note that I had transported this particular gentleman many times before and his daughter always explained to him what was going on before we transported if she wasn't riding with us. Suffice to say I was taken by surprise, he was usually quite genial, and was for every subsequent transfer.


Sent from my out of area communications device.
 
I like my patients like I like my fish- Battered and in a box

1960.jpg
:P
 
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