By EMS1 Staff
MUNCIE, Ind. — A former EMT said she quit after getting assaulted by a patient.
FOX59.com reported that Kindsey Swim, who worked at Heartland Ambulance Service, was hit while transporting a patient with Down syndrome to dialysis. Swim suffered a concussion and was traumatized after the call.
She returned to work after a doctor’s clearance and was given another run with the same patient.
“I was terrified to think that I would have to transport him,” she said.
Dispatchers refused to transfer the call — Swim walked away.
“I chose to protect myself and I felt like I had no choice,” she said.
Heartland Ambulance Service said no other crews were available. Their policy: if you refuse a call, you’ve quit the job.
“This is not violence in EMS this is us taking care of a handicap person who does not have the same mentality as us,” company president Kenneth Jackson said.
Swim said the patient’s family and caretaker apologized through a former co-worker.