…patients seeking help at hospitals across the country have instead been injured or killed by those guarding the institutions. Medical centers are not required to report such encounters, so little data is available and health experts suspect that some cases go unnoticed. Police blotters, court documents and government health reports have identified more than a dozen in recent years. They have occurred as more and more American hospitals are arming guards with guns and Tasers, setting off a fierce debate among health care officials about whether such steps — along with greater reliance on law enforcement or military veterans — improve safety or endanger patients.
Source: When the Hospital Fires the Bullet – The New York Times
The article deals with not just any patient, but those with mental issues that makes them violent and a danger to others. And we all can agree that a person with mental issues cannot be held at the same standard as a criminal, but that simply is not an excuse to say you are not allowed to use force to stop their dangerous behavior.
Yes, it is a scenario that sucks no matter how you shine a light on. Nobody wants to shoot a blameless person but at the same time nobody wants to be injured or allow injury to others. I do find rather stupid that there are those who would remove that last barrier of safety from hospitals because they deem an armed security guard as too dangerous and potentially deadly, but they are not aware how many deaths by medical malpractice occur every year or chose to ignore it. Then again the issues is them evil guns!
The control freaks have changed the meme so many times that it’s impossible to keep up with their latest without a score-card. Just like with ones crying imminent disaster from Glowbull Warming, er… Climate Change, er Climate Disruption; or whatever the latest ‘chicken little’ scheme is today.
As for the hospitals; now it seems they don’t think ANY dangerous person should be defended against with a gun, by ANYONE. Maybe they’d be happy with guards armed with swords and hallebardes, dressed in Swiss uniforms……
The Swiss Guards dressed like that carry concealed SIG pistols if what I was told is true.
I detest hospitals as gun free zones. Like I said before, my sister works at U Maryland Shock Trauma. My mon used to work at Mercy Hospital in Chicago and later South Miami Hospital. Do you have any idea how often medical staff get caught in the middle of gang violence. Doctors and nurses attacked because they saved one gang member or drug dealer. How often they get threatened for mandatory reporting laws. Street violence is not like war. There is no Geneva convention thar protects medical staff as non combatants. I’m glad there are armed guards in hospitals, and if you are going to make hospitals gun free zones, make an exception fore hospital staff so they can protect themselves.
I’m of two minds with this subject. Working in one of those facilities described in the article where security is whatever EMTs and maintenance personnel are handy, violent psychiatric patients are always a concern. We’re on our own until the police arrive (carrying those Tasers/guns our staff is not allowed due to company posted policy). In most situations overwhelming force resolves the situation, occasionally tasing and leather restraints are in order until psych meds can take affect. The last option of gunfire is terrifying due to the density of patients/staff and the blueprint of our ER; huge chance of collateral injury.
But I want that option available. I’ve never seen an officer draw his gun due to a patient’s behavior, but they have come mighty close. What happens if that situation occurs without an officer present? Retreat isn’t always an option, the psych patient who was calm just moments ago finally lost their tentative grip and on reality (like in the article), or other patients and their families are in immediate danger. As much as possible stray rounds may bother me, the option being available would be preferable to hand wringing and stern language.