It really is amazing how one can achieve much more when one’s behaviour is civil in nature. I’ll recount a story where a matter went from very civil to violent in the blink of an eye, and for no apparent reason.
From what I gathered the story goes like this. A lady was brought in by ambulance, she was relatively uninjured but was in some pain after what I believe was a car accident. Family was waiting in the waiting room but her adult son was keen to see her.
While the door was being opened for him he barged the door fully open and hurried in. The experienced paramedic looking after his mother asked him to stop for a moment. After all we can’t have any form of antisocial behaviour in the corridors of a hospital.
Seemed like this man wasn’t used to being told “no”, so my colleagues imperatives meant nothing to him so he kept advancing and took the ensuing body contact as a threatening gesture. Despite contact being made by his advances, not a deliberate action from the paramedic. Due to the mans action so far he was asked politely to leave the triage area and go back to the waiting room
What he unleashed then was a tirade of foul language, threats of violence and intimidating behaviour. Security dragged him and other family members away. Police were called as the situation escalated. Capsicum spray was used and handcuffs used as restraints. The ambulance bay was turned into a decontamination area to wash the perpetrators eyes.
Meanwhile mum is getting agitated as she could easily hear all the shouting and kerfuffle that her son was causing. She almost jumped off the stretcher to go and see them, inadvertently proving her lack of serious injury.
End result: two men taken away in handcuffs to the police station, likely to be charged with a misdemeanour offense and forever to have a criminal record (if they hadn’t already).
Just ask them though and you will be told that they have never done anything wrong. Today, to them, they were prohibited to do something they deemed their right and their reaction justified. Wrong! Also that police indiscriminately assaulted them with capsicum spray. Wrong again! Another case of the individuals not taking responsibility for their own actions.
Such an easily avoidable situation. Yet people want to act on emotion and their impetuous nature instead of discernment, common sense and civility.
Firstly, patience was required in the hospital system. Not everything can be done right now. There is a process, have patience. Things go faster if you don’t cause scenes. The triaging of his mother was put on hold and all of triage virtually shut down while the matter was being dealt with. If he had waited a mere second for the door to be opened then perhaps things would have different.
Secondly, even if the barging were allowed to pass then a simple apology and acknowledgement of his behaviour when held up by the paramedic would have diffused the situation.
I have a feeling that he would have found a way to escalate the situation regardless. Better to have an altercation in the parking lot than in the triage area.
Such an innocuous spark for such trouble to result. At the end of the day no one wins.
From what I gathered the story goes like this. A lady was brought in by ambulance, she was relatively uninjured but was in some pain after what I believe was a car accident. Family was waiting in the waiting room but her adult son was keen to see her.
While the door was being opened for him he barged the door fully open and hurried in. The experienced paramedic looking after his mother asked him to stop for a moment. After all we can’t have any form of antisocial behaviour in the corridors of a hospital.
Seemed like this man wasn’t used to being told “no”, so my colleagues imperatives meant nothing to him so he kept advancing and took the ensuing body contact as a threatening gesture. Despite contact being made by his advances, not a deliberate action from the paramedic. Due to the mans action so far he was asked politely to leave the triage area and go back to the waiting room
What he unleashed then was a tirade of foul language, threats of violence and intimidating behaviour. Security dragged him and other family members away. Police were called as the situation escalated. Capsicum spray was used and handcuffs used as restraints. The ambulance bay was turned into a decontamination area to wash the perpetrators eyes.
Meanwhile mum is getting agitated as she could easily hear all the shouting and kerfuffle that her son was causing. She almost jumped off the stretcher to go and see them, inadvertently proving her lack of serious injury.
End result: two men taken away in handcuffs to the police station, likely to be charged with a misdemeanour offense and forever to have a criminal record (if they hadn’t already).
Just ask them though and you will be told that they have never done anything wrong. Today, to them, they were prohibited to do something they deemed their right and their reaction justified. Wrong! Also that police indiscriminately assaulted them with capsicum spray. Wrong again! Another case of the individuals not taking responsibility for their own actions.
Such an easily avoidable situation. Yet people want to act on emotion and their impetuous nature instead of discernment, common sense and civility.
Firstly, patience was required in the hospital system. Not everything can be done right now. There is a process, have patience. Things go faster if you don’t cause scenes. The triaging of his mother was put on hold and all of triage virtually shut down while the matter was being dealt with. If he had waited a mere second for the door to be opened then perhaps things would have different.
Secondly, even if the barging were allowed to pass then a simple apology and acknowledgement of his behaviour when held up by the paramedic would have diffused the situation.
I have a feeling that he would have found a way to escalate the situation regardless. Better to have an altercation in the parking lot than in the triage area.
Such an innocuous spark for such trouble to result. At the end of the day no one wins.
Posts
2 comments:
Well told Tim, I agree. This sort of short term behaviour and disregard for proper authority gets people nowhere.
I'm pleased that authorities were as forceful as they were in dealing with the man. When it comes to the safety of our medics, no tactic should be spared. I don't have a vested interest, though, do I? ;) But seriously, to treat the system and the medic like that is utterly disrespectful, particularly of the safety and expertise of the medic. This guy needs a punching bag!
Post a Comment