Posts: 9,102
Threads: 153
Joined: Jun 2019
Reputation:
22
Dude unhappy about a surgery recently...used an "AR style weapon (whatever the f*ck that means) and a .40sw pistol".
Four dead, two docs, a nurse and a patient.
Probably won't hear much about it because the dude was black.
Posts: 18,301
Threads: 54
Joined: Feb 2019
Reputation:
32
Office next to a hospital in Tulsa. It's why I carry even though the official policy is no weapons pretty much everywhere I've worked except when I had my own practice. There are always a few you get bad vibes from. It usually revolves around opiates and mental illness but not always. ERs seem to be the most common place for this sort of thing. At my previous office there was a pain management clinic on the ground floor and we went on lockdown a couple of times. It is just someone yelling threats in awaiting room 99.99% of the time of course. I was working for a hospital at the time and they knew I was carrying and looked the other way. Perks of the position. I wasn't waiting for Paul Blart in his golf cart if I was confronted in the parking lot at 2 AM. And I was a few times.Â
The other reason to carry is we often work odd hours and sometimes nearby areas are sketchy.
Posts: 27,053
Threads: 476
Joined: Feb 2019
Reputation:
70
About 30 years ago at a local clinic here. a deranged mental case shot and killed a young physician as he walked into the exam room. Right in the head. Guy never had a chance.
"Hightop can reduce an entire message board of men to mudsharks. It's actually pretty funny to watch."
Posts: 27,053
Threads: 476
Joined: Feb 2019
Reputation:
70
... and yet another shooting at a black funeral at Graceland Cemetery in Racine, Wisconsin today. At least 5 shot at the funeral for Da'Shontay King Sr., shot and killed on May 20th by police.  Convenient place to be shot right there at the cemetery with a hospital next door I guess.
https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/cri...e-presence
"Hightop can reduce an entire message board of men to mudsharks. It's actually pretty funny to watch."
Posts: 16,393
Threads: 831
Joined: Jul 2019
Reputation:
38
The design of medical facilities in the last 10-15 years has really taken a turn to deal with the security issues. More effort into placing security staff at key areas, for example, as 3rdGS noted at EDâ€s at the entries. Separating adult from pediatric waiting areas, bullet resistant glass at reception, cameras everywhere, severely limiting access by family to patient areas and instead have a televideo room that families can see the patient instead of being by the patientâ€s side. More psychosocial support. Entries that incorporate metal detectors.
The next big problem area is Out-patient. We now make sure that patients/family take a separate path from medical staff so that they never interact in a hallway. Patients from non-western cultures have more of a belief that doctors “fix†the patient problems, and if the patient doesnâ€t fully recover, itâ€s the doctors†fault. This in turn leads to greater number of extremely heated verbal attacks and physical assaults upon med staff. Of course, they turn a blind eye to the patients†lifestyle choices regarding drug use, obesity and smoking. But hey, you fix him or Iâ€ll kill you.
In-Patient also has become increasingly hazardous as well. In previous design a family could go right through an entire IP unit without even being stopped. Actually still extremely common today. Now we are looking at IP unit design where all waiting is in a waiting area outside the unit and you have to be buzzed in.
Hospital construction and operational costs have significantly increased due to dealing with increased security costs.
"Don't, I say don't bother me dog, can't ya see I'm thinkin'?" Foghorn Leghorn
1
Posts: 18,301
Threads: 54
Joined: Feb 2019
Reputation:
32
As a student and resident I used to just wander into areas of hospitals to talk to people or look around without anyone ever challenging me. I must just look like a doctor because the only thing ever said to me my entire career was "may I help you doctor?" . And I never have any idea where my ID badge is and haven't worn one in decades.Â
Edit: Top right drawer of my desk. A bit dusty and some of the few strands of hair I have in the picture aren't gray. Been there a while.
Posts: 6,851
Threads: 185
Joined: Feb 2019
Reputation:
34
In Dayton yesterday they had a shooting in the ER at Miami Valley Hospital. The sheriffâ€s Dept. doesnâ€t have enough staff to escort inmates, so they use rent a cops instead. A prisoner in jail on a parole violation stole the rent a cops gun in the ER, killed him, and then ran out into the parking lot and blew his own head off.