Lehigh Valley Hospital is being investigated by state and federal authorities after a review found that security guards used stun guns on unruly patients four times since 2008.
The Morning Call of Allentown described each incident in detail.
The first occurred Dec. 18, 2008, when a patient dashed out of the emergency room and fought a security guard. A second guard repeatedly warned the patient to calm down, then fired the stun gun.
On Aug. 31, 2009, a patient who had already been wrestled to the ground began fighting a guard, who shot the patient with a stun gun.
On Aug. 19 a patient who was using an intravenous pole as a weapon was shot with a stun gun.
On Aug. 26, an agitated patient who had received medication to control anxiety and psychosis refused to stay in a room and was stunned while approaching a guard.
A state Department of Health report that was completed in October shows the use of stun guns was against regulations and threatened the health and rights of patients at Lehigh Valley Hospital, according to the paper.
The report states that the hospitals did not give appropriate information to the patients who were stunned or to their family after the incidents.
The hospital told the newspaper that the incidents were "law enforcement'' matters and in no way "related to patient restraint in the normal course of care.''
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The state report also says that as of Oct. 15, security guards at the hospital were no longer using the devices.
The hospital released the following statement:
We do not agree completely with the findings in the report, including that the events in question were patient restraint issues. We believe that these events were law enforcement issues. The action taken by our security officers was intended to protect the safety of our employees and other patients and was not related to patient restraint in the normal course of care. However, based on the Department of Health's position we agreed to stop the use of tasers. We hope to continue dialogue with the Department of Health to revisit the position they have taken to consider situations where the use of tasers is appropriate. We are hopeful that we can reach an agreement that will permit the use of tasers that would allow us to protect our employees and patients when circumstances warrant that such action be taken.
For more information on this story, you can read the full investigative report from the Morning Call here.
