This should never happen.
This should never happen. Not even once. Where's the report on the disciplining and changing of protocols for the EMS people? What ketamine research? What is with the response from the EMS director and the Poison Control director?
In every other aspect of medical care - nurse, doctor, whomever - you are essentially forbidden from using any form of restraint without strict protocols and rare exceptions. No physical and no chemical. Yes, there are exceptions and there are protocols, but you do not get to just tie people up or drug them up because they are a problem to the staff. Because yes, that used to happen. A lot. So there are rules. It is grossly unethical.
Yes, it's different "in the street". But this smacks of yet another policy that is all about protect and defend the police and first responders and never mind the actual human beings on the other side of that equation. And what the hell kind of EMS training and licensing does Minnesota have, that they just do this without objecting or calling a supervisor? Every time you give a drug, you could do harm, every time you intubate someone you are doing harm. That harm is supposed to be balanced by a medical benefit. If you're the one who stopped their breathing, you have now caused harm twice.
I can't even with this.
http://www.startribune.com/at-urging-of-police-hennepin-emts-subdued-dozens-with-powerful-sedative/485607381/
http://www.startribune.com/at-urging-of-police-hennepin-emts-subdued-dozens-with-powerful-sedative/485607381/
In every other aspect of medical care - nurse, doctor, whomever - you are essentially forbidden from using any form of restraint without strict protocols and rare exceptions. No physical and no chemical. Yes, there are exceptions and there are protocols, but you do not get to just tie people up or drug them up because they are a problem to the staff. Because yes, that used to happen. A lot. So there are rules. It is grossly unethical.
Yes, it's different "in the street". But this smacks of yet another policy that is all about protect and defend the police and first responders and never mind the actual human beings on the other side of that equation. And what the hell kind of EMS training and licensing does Minnesota have, that they just do this without objecting or calling a supervisor? Every time you give a drug, you could do harm, every time you intubate someone you are doing harm. That harm is supposed to be balanced by a medical benefit. If you're the one who stopped their breathing, you have now caused harm twice.
I can't even with this.
http://www.startribune.com/at-urging-of-police-hennepin-emts-subdued-dozens-with-powerful-sedative/485607381/
http://www.startribune.com/at-urging-of-police-hennepin-emts-subdued-dozens-with-powerful-sedative/485607381/
And if one police department is doing this ...
ReplyDeleteIsn't ketamine the drug Dexter used?
ReplyDeleteI looked that up - he used a semi-synthetic opioid, etorphine, that's an elephant tranquilizer according to the wiki. Ketamine is an NMDA receptor antagonist. There are some synthetic opioids that also act as NMDA antagonists, but etorphine does not seem to be one based on a brief search.
ReplyDelete