Assault at work

[scubanurse]

In Colorado it is now a 2nd degree felony assault to intentionally hit an emergency nurse or provider.  This is a huge plus in the emergency world, but there is still so much farther we need to go!  Why is it that a drunk driver who gets behind the wheel of a car is held responsible for damages they cause, but a drunk patient who becomes combative with medical staff isn't?  It's just such a stupid situation.  Sometimes I wonder why I even do this anymore when people don't give a flying F*$%.

[Just Plain Ruff]

And try to get Law enforcement to actually arrest the person.  We had that issue in the small town I worked in.  Here is usually what the cops would say "well,  we could arrest him but the DA wouldn't charge him because they weren't in their right mind"  or some bullshit like that.  I was hit 5 times in my career down there, each time I got that line of crap from the cops, each time I insisted they arrest the shitbag.  Each time they refused.  I then told them after the 3rd time,  what if we refused to help you guys out on a scene?  I told him that is what you are in essence doing to us, you are showing us that you don't give a shit about us and our safety and we would never do that to you.  The 4th and 5th time, they arrested the guy.  The DA actually did file charges on both those times.