Paramedic's Interference Trial May Be a First in Penn.

[DrParasite]

Paramedic's Interference Trial May Be a First in Penn.

Paramedic Jodi L. Kerr-Rummel, 31, of Derry, is charged with obstructing police and disorderly conduct. She pleaded not guilty.
...
The woman, who allegedly had not been taking her medicine, refused an ambulance trip to Allegheny Valley Hospital because she feared she would lose her job. She became combative and tried to punch one of the officers after they told her they would take her to the hospital anyway under an involuntary commitment, police testified at Kerr-Rummel's preliminary hearing. During a struggle with the two officers, the woman fell to the floor but continued to be combative, police testified. At that point, according to testimony and court documents, Patrolman Dominic Dileo pulled a Taser from his belt and was preparing to shock the woman when, he said, Kerr-Rummel ran between the officers and grabbed the woman's arm. Patrolman John Marhefka Jr., who filed the charges, testified that the paramedic "bumped" into him and grabbed the woman with both hands, "tugging at her violently."
...
Kerr-Rummel was "only acting in the best interests of the patient," argued her attorney, James Matthew Fox of Latrobe. Fox said Kerr-Rummel "didn't think it was appropriate" for a patient to be subjected to the electric charge of a Taser. He asked Peck Yakopec to dismiss charges, but the judge refused.

read the rest of the article here: http://www.emsresponder.com/article/article.jsp?id=14494

 

[jjesusfreak01]

Sounds like everyone screwed up here. I can only guess at what the scene looked like, but it sounds like the cops got involved prematurely and that it went downhill from there. It should have been the paramedic explaining to the patient why they were required to go to the hospital, but the cops seem to have decided it was there job to handle forcing the patient to the hospital. IMHO, the medic should be in charge of these scenes until the patient becomes a danger to others.

Also, PD should never have filed the charges. Thats making bad blood that they probably don't want.

 

[FireResuce48]

I'm sure the Pittsburgh area is thrilled to have EMS in the news again.

 

[Aidey]

I agree that it sounds like everyone screwed up, that PD is pressing charges....wow. I read it to my partner at work and we were both shocked. No offense to the cops, but way to escalate the situation.

 

[Shishkabob]

Way too much missing info, and it's more of a he said / she said.


Hell, I was on a scene a few months back where my patient was tased multiple times... didn't bother me. You're combative, you threaten medics and officers, you get taken care of.

Boohoo, the patient is in a ton of pain for 5 seconds... I've rode the lighting, it isn't that bad and it beats the OTHER way things could have happened which is actual physical damage. Let the patient be controlled, THEN worry about being their advocate... you know, when they no longer pose a risk to you or others.

 

[Phlipper]

You're combative, you threaten medics and officers, you get taken care of.

I'm afraid I agree.



Even though it makes me a little queasy to do so.

 

[BLSBoy]

Lock her up and throw away the key.

Stupid, stupid lady.

 

[Aidey]

Considering she is still working for her employer, they must not have thought it was all that stupid. I'm not going to get up on my soap box today, but the way psych patients are treated sometimes is abhorrent.

 

[firecoins]

Sounds like the medic is in the wrong. I will stick to the idea that the media rarely presents an accurate account of what happaned. I will give the benefit here until more facts are known.

1. Do not enter an unsafe scene even if it is the cops making the scene unsafe. Sounds like the cops were right though. Maybe not about the charges but....

2. Never interrupt the cops. They get bull headed when you question their authority.

 

[BLSBoy]

Aidey, I am not disputing that at all, however she interfered with a violent psych pt who had already gone hands on with the police.

 

[Too Old To Work]

And sometimes EMS brings another EDP to the call.

 

[CAOX3]

In not sure what went on but once violence is introduced it becomes the cops job and I will be on the sidelines until order is restored.

 

[Aidey]

Aidey, I am not disputing that at all, however she interfered with a violent psych pt who had already gone hands on with the police.

Maybe it is just the way I read it, but the patient wasn't violent UNTIL the cops stepped in an tried to force her onto the gurney. It doesn't sound like the cops tasered her for being violent, they tasered her for resisting. Maybe it's a meaningless difference in the real world, but I see them as being two different things.