Conducted Electrical Weapon Injury (e.g. TASER®)

Table of Contents

Aliases

Tased

Patient Care Goals

  1. Manage the condition that triggered the application of the conducted electrical weapon with special attention to patients meeting criterion for excited delirium [see Agitated or Violent Patient/Behavioral Emergency guideline]
  2. Make sure patient is appropriately secured or restrained with assistance of law enforcement to protect the patient and staff [see Agitated or Violent Patient/Behavioral Emergency guideline]
  3. Perform comprehensive trauma and medical assessment as patients who have received conducted electrical weapon may have already been involved in physical confrontation
  4. If discharged from a distance, two single barbed darts (13mm length) should be located
    1. Do not remove barbed dart from sensitive areas (head, neck, hands, feet or genitals)

Patient Presentation

Inclusion Criteria

  1. Patient received either the direct contact discharge or the distance two barbed dart discharge of the conducted electrical weapon
  2. Patient may have sustained fall or physical confrontation trauma
  3. Patient may be under the influence of toxic substances and or may have underlying medical or psychiatric disorder

Exclusion Criteria

No recommendations

Patient Management

Assessment

  1. Once patient has been appropriately secured or restrained with assistance of law enforcement, perform primary and secondary assessment including 3-lead EKG, pulse oximeter, and consider 12-lead EKG
  2. Evaluate patient for evidence of excited delirium manifested by varied combination of agitation, reduced pain sensitivity, elevated temperature, persistent struggling, or hallucinosis

Treatment and Interventions

  1. Make sure patient is appropriately secured with assistance of law enforcement to protect the patient and staff. Consider psychologic management medications if patient struggling against physical devices and may harm themselves or others
  2. EMS can remove barbed darts except for sensitive areas (head, neck, hands, feet or genitals).
    1. Stabilize skin around CEW with support hand and firmly grasp CEW with strong hand.
    2. With one, quick, forceful pull, remove the CEW from the skin.
    3. Control bleeding as indicated
  3. Treat medical and traumatic injury
  4. Evaluation at an Emergency Department is strongly recommended.

Notes – Conducted Electrical Weapon Injury (e.g. TASER®)