OK, here is a story of legend – at least in the ER where I did my residency. I know it is true since I heard it from a first hand witness. Now, before I tell it to you, I must say that under NO CIRCUMSTANCES do I advocate what this particular resident did – although I am sure there will be some who read it that endorse it wholeheartedly!
So, there was this resident whose first name started with M (his real name is SO appropriate for how he behaved and what he did this one momentous day, but of course I can’t tell you what it is – or M would have to kill you….) Lets just call him Mad Jack MacAdder for argument’s sake. So, Mad Jack had a reputation for being competent as a doc, but extremely hot-tempered with little or no patience for any bull. This meant that difficult, unruly patients, consultants who did not want to admit patients, and obstreperous staff really had to watch out when ole’ MacAdder was in a bad mood. This was proven one day when a drunk was brought in by EMS as was usual at least a half dozen times on any particular shift at this ER. The drunk was particularly nasty, refusing to cooperate with getting undressed, making it difficult for the nurses to take vital signs, and swearing like a sailor. The attending on was a relatively smallish woman who was about 5′3′. She went over to the patient and attempted to reason with him . MacAdder watched from nearby since this patient was likely to be assigned to him. After a brief exchange that is basically unprintable, the intoxicated man shoved the attending back away from the stretcher – causing her to stumble and fall, hitting her head on a cart that was outside the room (which was more of a “booth” with a curtain around it). It did not take long for MacAdder to step into action. Without a word, he entered the booth and closed the curtain behind him. About a second later a “WHUMP!” was heard (sounding quite like the sound of fist against face) and then the sound of a thud – like someone flopping into the stretcher. Mad Jack emerged about 3 seconds later wringing his right hand and telling the nurse nearby, “Order a Cat Scan.” “Why?” she asked. “Just order it”, he said. She then noticed the patient was lying unconscious on the stretcher! During the shift his left eye began to develop a nice shiner…..
Luckily the CT was negative and the patient sobered up and was discharged the following morning.
I’m at a loss.
So the problem with Mad Mac is what?
Any man that strikes or threatens a woman should get no less!!
The question is why weren’t charges pressed against the drunk?
You said some would endorse it… consider me guilty as charged!
Holy crap. Something we’ve all wanted to do but …..
Nice to know that a little streeet justice finds it’s way to emerg. Buy that guy a beer from me.
I’m sorry – no. I’m sure it feels good in theory but staff cannot go around punching patients. If you did that in my ER you would be FIRED. By all means, call PD and press charges but you cannot sink to the patient’s level of violence. That is stupid AND wrong.
Gotta do, what ya gotta do;)
The chick should have hit him. I don’t give a fuck if you’re a woman, you should be just as tough as a guy.
God I love this doc. Last night in our ER a drunk came in who had been in a fight with two cops. he had the hell beat out of him. He decide that he was going to spit on the nurses. Wrong….. Needless to say the “patient” had a fractured nose to go along with the black eye. Damn, I don’t know how that happened.
Maybe not the BEST solution, but I have had drunks pulled off of me as well. I have pulled the curtain and stepped out while the police have “reasoned” with them.
I thought he was ordering the CAT scan for his hand, which would be a bit extreme.
While hitting a patient is a bit extreme, after reading about what ER personnel have to put up with, I can honestly understand why such a “last resort” happens.
What is sad here is that some drunk set in motion violent reactions that normally would not have arisen in less chaotic situations. Stated another way, I feel bad for the ER staff who get so upset with out-of-control drunks that they have to resort to violence to deal with a situation. The bottom line: The abusive and ridiculous behavior of many drunks in the emergency rooms is yet another reason why some people should either drink in moderation or not at all.
EE – Grow the hell up or shut up, please!