Police decide how to proceed after two very big, very beligerent intoxicated patients, involved in an auto collision, fight with staff and the bolt out of the ED.
They were quickly found trying to hide in a nearby park.

Intoxicated, or otherwise incompetent patients must be restrained, and prevented from self-harm through refusal of care, at least until sober. This puts all emergency care personnel in the dangerous and challenging position of providing patient care to disruptive and violent patients, who often do not want care. It is a difficult balance between patient autonomy, medical necessity, the law, limited resources and intense government oversight of health care. Imagine - fighting with an impaired patient who wants to leave, who very well may be critically injured, with lawyers ready to pounce should something be missed, as government agents scrutinize every detail of the use of patient restraint, and all while the patient next door fumes because they have waited a few more minutes to be seen.

Despite it all, our sole drive is always to provide the absolute best patient care, regardless of conditions.




[Also pictured is Nurse Heather - who nearly prevented their flight, single-handly]


macaSTAT.com


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