Paramedics

[smurfchops]

What do you think they should do, when they have gone with an ambulance to help someone who is drunk or drugged up (self inflicted) and this person assaults or spits at them?  I think they should turn around and leave them in the gutter.  If it happens in hospital, escort them to the door. 

[barry1010]

They often are escorted off the premises, it is not rare for ambulance personnel to call the police and the offenders arrested.

[nicebloke1]

A set fine of around the £800 pound mark always said it always will. Abusing NHS staff and wasting abulance time, and in some cases putting some elses life in danger that may be waiting for that ambulance.

[Canary42]

If they just walk away (which I tend to support) the victim will sue and some snowflake judge will award enormous damages.

[nicebloke1]

Yep, more than likely.^^

[Peter Pedant]

in hospital, very difficult if they are demented - ( the problem must be escalated to the nursing admin staff etc) - one hospital got a porter sit with him through out the night.

My own view is " why are they doing this?" rather than tip him into the gutter and let him DDDDIIIIIIEEEE!

[davebro3]

Assault of an emergency worker (including spitting) is now a specific offence & the police should be called to such incidents. Spit hoods are available.

[rowanwitch]

Trouble is the person concerned might be perfectly ok when substance free and you often don't know the whole story at the point of contact. 

I was assaulted by a patient who had been admitted with suspected seizures. The family were too embarrassed to admit to her long term alcohol problem,  she hasn't been able to access alcohol for a short while due to illness and was having  major hallucinations. Easily sorted once we knew, but it took my head being whacked with an old style bp machine to find out.

[barry1010]

UTIs can cause horrendous behaviour in the elderly including aggression but staff are generally prepared for this. 

[drmorgans]

 

Coming off heavy alcohol consumption abruptly can be damaging, fatal even.

 

[barry1010]

As can withdawing from some drugs - prescribed and recreational.

[webbo3]

As my hospital didn't deal with life threatening injuries they wouldn't be treated, I even had someone threaten to stab me once.

[Canary42]

While I was once visiting my Mum in hospital the nursing staff encountered an unusual situation. They got a call from the police saying one of their patients had reported she had been kidnapped and held against her will.  A sad dementia case, but I guess that unless they let themselves see the funny side the staff would find it overwhelmingly harrowing.

[jourdain2]

Yes, Canary.  I am visiting OH in hospital at the moment (pneumonia, plus that means they have discovered that he needs an emergency kidney op.) and, waiting at the lift yesterday, an ostensibly sane and normal woman began kicking off and simply wouldn't respond to her 'minder' and companions.

It was very 'out of this world' and another revelation of what can happen to us.  The nurse rang for help, I'm trying to be helpful and forming a visual blockage to a corridor. The woman became more and more angry despite soothing noises and language etc. deteriorated.  Fortunately more medical staff arrived and, surrounded, the woman subsided........but it was on the verge of very nasty. 

Smurfchops - you can't walk away.  There are different reasons for insanity and outrageous behaviour.