Introduction of the conducted electrical weapon into a hospital setting

Area of Science:

• Forensic Science
• Emergency Medicine
• Security Management

Background:

• Conducted Electrical Weapons (CEWs) are used by law enforcement to incapacitate potentially violent individuals.
• Hospital environments present unique challenges with potential for patient and staff violence.
• The application of CEWs by hospital security had not been previously documented.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness and impact of introducing CEWs into a hospital security setting.
• To describe the outcomes of CEW use in managing aggressive individuals within a healthcare facility.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective review of standardized reports detailing all CEW uses by hospital security over 12 months.
• Data collected included force options, injuries avoided, witness feedback, and activation status (inactive vs. full deployment).
• Analysis of security personnel injury rates before and during the study period.

Main Results:

• Twenty-seven CEW deployments were recorded, with most involving inactive presentation or laser sight activation.
• No significant injuries related to CEW use were reported; two individuals required evaluation for unrelated minor injuries.
• CEW use was associated with averted injuries in all incidents and a decrease in security personnel injuries.

Conclusions:

• Introduction of CEWs in a hospital setting effectively averted and controlled potentially injurious situations.
• CEW use contributed to a reduction in injuries among hospital security personnel.
• Further research is recommended to validate these findings in healthcare security.