Conducted energy device dart removal: Difference between revisions
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# Cleanse wound and surrounding skin with saline or alcohol | # Cleanse wound and surrounding skin with saline or alcohol | ||
# Cover small puncture wound with sterile dressing | # Cover small puncture wound with sterile dressing | ||
# Validate tetanus vaccination status of individual -- if not current administer tetanus shot within 72 hours of removal | # Validate [[tetanus vaccination]] status of individual -- if not current administer tetanus shot within 72 hours of removal | ||
# Give wound care instructions to include that patient should seek medical attention if any signs of infection such as fever, increased pain, redness, warmth, swelling, or purulent discharge develops around one or more of the wounds | # Give wound care instructions to include that patient should seek medical attention if any signs of infection such as fever, increased pain, redness, warmth, swelling, or purulent discharge develops around one or more of the wounds | ||
Revision as of 09:33, 27 February 2018
Overview
- Conducted Energy Devices are used by law enforcement to help secure and control suspects who are combative
- Conducted Energy Devices can:
- Temporarily incapacitate a suspect
- Cause serious injury and rarely death
Indications
- Conducted Energy Device (CED) probe dart deployment by law enforcement to subdue a suspect
Contraindications
- Specialist consultation may be required if dart is embedded in face, neck, groin, or eye
Equipment Needed
- Trauma shears
- Gloves
- Sterile dressing
Procedure
- Ensure CED is longer applying electrical charge prior to contact with patient, darts, or wires
- Use trauma shears to cut wire at base of each dart cylinder to disconnect the dart(s) from the CED
- While wearing gloves grasp the cylinder of the dart between thumb and index finger of one hand while stabilizing penetration location by holding skin taunt with other hand
- Remove dart with a quick, firm pull directed perpendicular to skin surface
- Dispose of dart in sharps container as would for any contaminated sharp unless law enforcement requests them as evidence then place in puncture proof specimen cup
- Repeat for each embedded dart in patient
- Cleanse wound and surrounding skin with saline or alcohol
- Cover small puncture wound with sterile dressing
- Validate tetanus vaccination status of individual -- if not current administer tetanus shot within 72 hours of removal
- Give wound care instructions to include that patient should seek medical attention if any signs of infection such as fever, increased pain, redness, warmth, swelling, or purulent discharge develops around one or more of the wounds
Complications
- Immediate - none
- Delayed - wound infection, tetanus
Documentation Requirements
- Patient's presenting signs/symptoms, vital signs, and level of consciousness
- Indications for removal
- Time of removal
- Location of dart(s) embedment
- Findings/results of dart removal
- Repeat assessment including vital signs, level of consciousness after removal