Safe!

Two things I encounter every workday:

1) Extremely violent mentally ill and/or intoxicated people, most of them much bigger than me.

2) Signs reading "no weapons allowed on premises." (These signs don't have the force of law in Washington State, but they do have the force of lose-your-job. They have no force whatsoever on said crazies, on whom I've found shivs that could butcher a bison.) Not just guns; knives, pepper spray, and tasers are all forbidden.

I really don't want to hurt or kill someone who isn't in control of their own actions. But I want it more than I want them to hurt or kill me.

What're the odds I'll ever truly need a weapon? Eh, maybe not that high. I can't think of an incident yet in my career where it would've been justified. (Although I know the staff at one psychiatric facility in the area have an average of more than one assault per day. Obviously they aren't all life-threatening as we're counting spitting and arm-grabbing here, but still, Jesus.) I just don't like living with rules that make healthcare workers confront violent possibly-armed people with some nylon straps and a "pretty please."



(Also: I'm sick. I had to go home early today because my tummy was so hurty. Wahhh.)