- THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS PART OF OUR "HERE AND NOW" 2018
WISCONSIN VOTE ELECTION COVERAGE.
- I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
THIS WEEK ON "HERE AND NOW," A FIRST LOOK AT A WEST MILWAUKEE
CASE WHERE POLICE WILL NOT BE CHARGED IN THE DEATH OF A
MENTALLY ILL MAN.
WE'LL TALK WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY WHO DECIDED CRIMINAL
CHARGES ARE NOT WARRANTED AND THE ATTORNEY FOR THE MAN'S
FAMILY.
AFTER THAT, A CLOSER LOOK AT THE POLITICAL DIVIDE IN WISCONSIN
AND HOW TALK RADIO, SOCIAL MEDIA AND ADVERTISING ARE DRIVING
PARTISAN POLITICS.
THEN IN OUR INSIDE LOOK, NEW INFORMATION FROM THE DEAN OF THE
UW NURSING SCHOOL ABOUT FATIGUE AND THE RISK FOR ERROR.
THAT'S "HERE AND NOW" FOR MAY 4.
- FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS PROVIDED, IN PART, BY FRIENDS OF
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
- IN OUR FIRST LOOK TONIGHT, A CASE INVOLVING WEST MILWAUKEE
POLICE OFFICERS THAT IS ATTRACTING NATIONAL ATTENTION.
A CIVIL SUIT IS EXPECTED TO BE FILED IN THE DEATH OF A MENTALLY
ILL MAN WHO DIED AFTER POLICE OFFICERS TASED HIM WHILE
RESPONDING TO A REPORT HE WAS HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.
THREE WEST MILWAUKEE POLICE OFFICERS RESPONDED TO
22-YEAR-OLD ADAM TRAMMEL'S APARTMENT IN MAY OF 2017.
ACCORDING TO INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS AND POLICE BODY CAM
FOOTAGE, THE OFFICERS BROKE DOWN THE DOOR AND FOUND TRAMMEL IN
THE SHOWER.
THEY SAY HE RESPONDED NEITHER TO POLICE ATTEMPTS TO TALK WITH
HIM OR VERBAL COMMANDS.
THEY USE TASERS ON HIM OVER A NINE OR TEN-MINUTE PERIOD.
ARRIVING PARAMEDICS GAVE HIM A CALMING MEDICATION.
HE STOPPED BREATHING AND WAS DECLARED DEATH.
ATTORNEYS DESCRIBE IT AS DEATH BY TORTURE WITH TASERS, A MAN
WHO WAS UNARMED AND NAKED IN HIS OWN BATHROOM AND ACCUSED OF NO
CRIME.
MILWAUKEE DISTRICT ATTORNEY JOHN CHISHOLM REVIEWED THE CASE FOR
POSSIBLE CRIMINAL CHARGES AND FOUND THERE IS NOT SUFFICIENT
EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT A FINDING OF GUILT ON THE OFFICERS' PART AND
THEIR ACTIONS DID NOT VIOLATE THE LAW.
WE WILL HEAR FROM THE ATTORNEY FOR ADAM TRAMMEL'S FAMILY.
BUT FIRST, WE GO TO JOHN CHISHOLM IN MILWAUKEE.
AND THANKS VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.
WHY DIDN'T THE ACTIONS RISE TO THE CRIMINAL CHARGES EVEN WITH
THE TASING.
- FIRST, THEY NEVER WANT TO LOSE THE HUMAN ELEMENT.
WE ALWAYS SIT DOWN AND TALK TO THE FAMILY AND THEIR
REPRESENTATIVES AND WE UNDERSTAND THE PAIN AND THE
SUFFERING THAT ACCOMPANIES TRAGIC INCIDENTS LIKE THIS.
AT THE END OF THE DAY MY OBLIGATION IS TO LOOK AT ALL THE
FACTS AND APPLY THAT TO THE LAW.
AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE THE POLICE WERE ACTUALLY SUMMONED
NOT FOR A CRIMINAL OFFENSE, BUT ANOTHER EQUALLY IMPORTANT
OBLIGATION THAT THEY HAVE, WHICH IS TO HELP PEOPLE WHEN THEY ARE
IN MEDICAL DISTRESS.
THEY'RE FIRST LINE RESPONDERS.
THEY HAVE AN ACTUAL OBLIGATION IF THEY RECEIVE INFORMATION,
WHICH THEY DID, THAT THIS YOUNG MAN WAS SUFFERING FROM A MENTAL
ILLNESS AND THAT HE WAS WANDERING THE HALLWAY NAKED.
THEY TALKED TO A NEIGHBOR WHO WAS CONCERNED THAT HE HAD A
PSYCHOTIC BREAK AND THAT SHE WAS AFRAID HE WAS GOING TO HURT
HIMSELF.
SO UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, THEY ACTUALLY HAD AN OBLIGATION
TO ENTER THAT APARTMENT AND MAKE CONTACT WITH MR. TRAMMEL.
WE ALSO LOOK AT HOW THEY'RE TRAINED, AND ONE OF THE WAYS
THAT THEY'RE TRAINED IS THAT IF THEY SEE SIGNS OF THE PERSON IS
IN SUCH DISTRESS THAT WHAT THEY ARE TRAINED TO LOOK FOR IS WHAT
THEY CALLED EXCITED DELIRIUM AND THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT AND
DANGEROUS MEDICAL CONDITION THAT REQUIRES THEM TO GET HELP FOR
THAT PERSON.
BUT HERE'S THE CATCH IN ALL OF THAT, FREDERICA, AND THAT IS
THEY CAN'T GET HELP FOR HIM UNTIL HE IS CALM AND HE'S
RESTRAINED.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WON'T ACTUALLY
RESPOND DIRECTLY TO HIM UNTIL THEY HAVE THE SITUATION UNDER
CONTROL.
- WELL, AS TO THIS EXCITED DELIRIUM, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT
IS NOT ACTUALLY RECOGNIZED AS A MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS, BUT POLICE
PROTOCOL SAYS THAT WHEN CONFRONTED WITH IT, OFFICERS
SHOULD AVOID INCREASING THE SUBJECT'S AGITATION AND MINIMIZE
PHYSICAL STRUGGLE.
FROM YOUR REVIEW, WOULD IT APPEAR THAT THESE OFFICERS WENT
AGAINST THAT PROTOCOL?
- WELL, AGAIN, THE PROTOCOLS ARE GUIDELINES, AND THE BOTTOM
LINE ON THIS CASE IS IT WAS A VERY COMPLEX, ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
SITUATION, WHERE YOU HAD A 240-POUND, NAKED MAN WHO THEY
WERE VERY CONCERNED WAS SHOWING THOSE SIGNS.
IT WAS AN EXTREMELY CONFINED SPACE.
AND THEIR INTENT AS THEY EXPRESSED IT WAS SIMPLY TO GET
HIM MEDICAL ATTENTION.
IT'S A DANGEROUS ENCOUNTER.
WE JUST RECENTLY -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW THE VIDEOS FROM THE
STREET ENCOUNTER IN MILWAUKEE YESTERDAY INVOLVING A PERSON
THAT WE BELIEVE IS MENTALLY ILL.
YOU KNOW, FOUR POLICE OFFICERS SERIOUSLY INJURED.
THAT PERSON AS WELL.
THESE ARE ALWAYS DANGEROUS ENCOUNTERS.
BUT THEIR INTENT IS TO GET HIM MEDICAL ATTENTION AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE.
IF THEY DON'T, HE COULD POTENTIALLY DIE.
SO IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE WE LEARNED, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT OVER
AN HOUR AFTER HE WAS DECEASED, HE HAD A CORE BODY TEMPERATURE
OF ALMOST 104 DEGREES, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT AT THE TIME THAT
THEY WERE ENCOUNTERING MR. TRAMMEL, HE COULD HAVE BEEN
UP IN THE 107, 108 RANGE.
AND IT'S MEDICALLY DANGEROUS IF YOU'RE ANYTHING HIGHER THAN 103.
SO THEY HAD TO DO SOMETHING.
AND THIS IS THE COMPLICATED CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THEY
ENCOUNTERED.
- WELL, WHAT ABOUT THE IDEA OF USING CALMING TECHNIQUES OR
EARLIER INTERVENTIONS WITH TRANQUILIZERS?
- SEE, AGAIN, THEY'RE NOT AUTHORIZED TO ADMINISTER ANY
KIND OF SEDATIVES.
ONLY A TRAINED MEDICAL PERSON CAN DO THAT.
THEIR OBLIGATION IS SIMPLY TO MAKE THE AREA AND THE PERSON
SAFE SO THAT THE MEDICAL PEOPLE CAN DO THAT.
AND IN THIS CASE, THE INITIAL ENCOUNTER ACTUALLY RESULTED IN
RESISTANCE, AND THAT RESISTANCE THEY HAD AN OPTION OF EITHER
TRYING TO PUT -- YOU KNOW, COMPLIANCE HOLDS ON HIM, WHICH
WOULD BE NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE.
HE WAS IN THE SHOWER, WET, DRINKING HOT WATER AT THE TIME.
AND WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO REACH OUT TO HIM, THAT'S WHEN HE
PUSHED THEIR HANDS AWAY AND THAT'S WHEN THEY ELECTED TO USE
THAT ELECTRONIC CONTROL DEVICE.
- IN FACT, I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT FIRST USE OF THAT DEVICE
WAS TO HIS CHEST.
ISN'T THAT A CARDIAC DANGER?
- NO.
ACTUALLY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE VIDEOTAPE CLOSELY, YOU'LL SEE
THAT THE PRONG IS GOING TO HIS RIGHT UPPER THIGH AND HIS LOWER
ABDOMEN.
ALL OF THIS INFORMATION, BY THE WAY, IS POSTED ON THE
INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIVE AGENCY'S SITE.
THAT WAS THE GREENFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT.
WE DID INVESTIGATE THIS ACCORDING TO THE PROTOCOL THAT
WE USE TO INVESTIGATE ANY OFFICER-INVOLVED FORCE.
- YOU SAID THAT YOU MET EXTENSIVELY WITH THE FAMILY OF
ADAM TRAMMEL.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO ADAM TRAMMEL'S FAMILY?
- WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE SAY HOW SORRY WE ARE FOR THEIR
LOSS.
WE UNDERSTAND THE PAIN THAT COMES WITH THIS.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, MY OBLIGATION IS TO PROVIDE THEM
WITH ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT I CAN POSSIBLY GATHER AND TO
FOLLOW UP ON THINGS THAT THEY WANT ANSWERED.
BUT IN THE END, MY OBLIGATION IS TO MAKE A DETERMINATION OF
WHETHER I WOULD BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE BEYOND A REASONABLE
DOUBT IN A CRIMINAL SETTING THAT THE OFFICERS ENGAGED IN
MISCONDUCT.
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER FOUND THAT THE CAUSE OF DEATH WAS EXCITED
DELIRIUM.
THAT IN AND OF ITSELF TAKES THE MATTER OUT OF THE REALM OF A
HOMICIDE.
SO THE NEXT QUESTION IS DID THE ENCOUNTER AND THE USE OF THE
ELECTRONIC CONTROL DEVICES BECOME ABUSIVE AT SOME POINT IN
TIME?
AND THERE YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT WHETHER THEIR TRAINING WAS
CONSISTENT WITH THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THEY
ENCOUNTERED.
AND HERE'S ONE THING THAT I LEARNED A GREAT DEAL ABOUT WITH
TASERS AND THAT IS EVEN THOUGH THE AMOUNT OF RECORDED
DEPLOYMENTS, IN OTHER WORDS, THE NUMBER OF TIMES THEY PULLED THE
TRIGGER, SEEMS HIGH, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT MR. TRAMMEL
RECEIVED A SHOCK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE TIMES.
AND SOMETIMES WHEN THE PROBES GET DISLODGED, ALL THAT THEY
RECEIVE IS PAIN, BUT THEY'RE NOT INCAPACITATED.
SO IT'S, AGAIN, A VERY COMPLEX CIRCUMSTANCE.
AND ULTIMATELY WHAT IS SHOWN IN THE VIDEO IS THAT MR. TRAMMEL
DOESN'T ACTUALLY EXPIRE OR STOP BREATHING UNTIL AFTER HE'S BEEN
BROUGHT TO MEDICAL ATTENTION AND THEY ADMINISTER A SEDATIVE.
SO WE CAN'T EVEN DEMONSTRATE A
DIRECT CONNECTION BETWEEN THE USE OF THOSE ECDs AND HIS
DEATH.
- JOHN CHISHOLM, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.
- GLAD TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU.
- THE FAMILY OF ADAM TRAMMEL WHO DIED AFTER POLICE USED
TASERS ON HIM IS PLANNING FOR LEGAL ACTION OVER HIS DEATH.
ATTORNEY ROBIN SHELLOW IS REPRESENTING THE TRAMMEL FAMILY
AND THANKS VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.
- THANK YOU.
- WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THE FACT THAT THE DA DECIDED NOT TO
ISSUE CHARGES AGAINST THE OFFICERS?
- DISAPPOINTED.
SADDENED AND DISAPPOINTED.
- WHAT ABOUT THE FAMILY?
WHAT IS THEIR REACTION?
WHAT HAVE THEY TOLD YOU?
- OUTRAGED.
THEY ARE OUTRAGED.
THEY CANNOT BELIEVE THAT AFTER WATCHING A VIDEO OF THEIR SON
BEING TORTURED TO DEATH, THAT THESE OFFICERS WON'T BE HELD
CRIMINAL CRIMINALLY ACCOUNTABLE.
- NOW, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S REVIEW DESCRIBED THE OFFICERS AS
CONFRONTED WITH A VERY COMPLEX PROBLEM.
MR. TRAMMEL, THE REPORT SAID, WAS NAKED, WET, UNABLE TO
COMMUNICATE, IN ACUTE MENTAL CRISIS AND RESISTED RESTRAINT.
JOHN CHISHOLM SAID THEIR ONLY REASONABLE OPTION APPEARED TO BE
THE TASER.
WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT?
- THAT PARTICULAR SITUATION OCCURS EVERY SINGLE DAY IN EVERY
SINGLE EITHER EMERGENCY ROOM, MENTAL HOSPITAL.
I HAD FOR 15 YEARS AN EMPLOYEE WHO WORKED FOR ME WHO WAS A
SOCIAL WORKER, ONE OF THE MAJOR PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS.
AND HE EXPLAINED THAT POLICE ARE NOT TRAINED TO RESTRAIN PERSONS
WITH MENTAL ILLNESS.
AND IT REQUIRES PEOPLE KNOWING WHAT TO DO AND HAVING THE RIGHT
SIZE OF PEOPLE THERE AND KNOWING HOW TO TALK TO PEOPLE WHO ARE IN
THE MIDDLE OF PSYCHOSES OR WHATEVER AND THAT IT'S DONE
EVERY SINGLE DAY IN MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS AROUND THE
COUNTRY, WHERE PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING VARIOUS KINDS OF
EITHER PSYCHOTIC OR OTHER KINDS OF REACTIONS AND THAT THEY DO
NOT USE TASERS.
- CHISHOLM FOUND THAT THERE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT EVIDENCE OF
EITHER INTENTIONAL OR NEGLIGENT ABUSE ON THE OFFICERS' PART.
ON WHAT BASIS DO YOU DISPUTE THAT?
- HEARING THE TORTUOUS SCREAMS FOR HALF AN HOUR AS MY CLIENT'S
SON PRAYED FOR GOD TO TAKE HIM NOW, TAKE HIM NOW.
HE WAS IN AGONY.
THEY DESCRIBE -- THE PEOPLE WHO STUDY TASERS DESCRIBE A TASER
VOLT AS A FULL-BODY CHARLIE HORSE TIMES 60.
THAT -- AND IT LASTS FOR FIVE SECONDS.
THAT'S ONE.
HE WAS TASED AT LEAST 15 TIMES, ONE TIME FOR 12 SECONDS
CONTINUOUSLY, AND ANOTHER 14 OR 15 TIMES FOR FIVE SECONDS.
I CAN FIND NOTHING IN THE LITERATURE, EITHER WRITTEN BY
THE COMPANY THAT MANUFACTURERS THE WEAPON OR IN ANY OF THE
CASES WHERE THERE HAS BEEN THAT LEVEL OF ABUSE.
- THE CAUSE OF DEATH WAS LISTED AS EXCITED DELIRIUM, AND THE
MANNER WAS UNDETERMINED.
DO YOU TAKE EXCEPTION TO THE CAUSE BEING EXCITED DELIRIUM?
- WELL, IN -- AT LEAST AS EARLY AS 2014, WHEN THE PARTICULAR
MODEL OF TASER THAT WAS USED ON MY CLIENT WAS DISCONTINUED,
EVERY SINGLE POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT USES THAT MODEL OF TASER
GOT A RETRAINING MEMO SAYING THAT DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF
ELECTRICITY USED OR THE NUMBER OF TIMES USED, THAT IT CAN CAUSE
CARDIAC DEATH.
SO, YEAH, I TAKE AN EXCEPTION TO IT.
- IS THAT THE BASIS OF YOUR CIVIL SUIT?
WHAT WILL YOUR CIVIL SUIT ARGUE IN THIS CASE?
- WELL, OBVIOUSLY, VIOLATIONS OF EXCESSIVE FORCE, LIABILITY
FOR -- AGAINST EACH OF THE OFFICERS WHO PARTICIPATED.
WE WILL BE SEEKING JUDGMENTS AGAINST THEM, AGAINST THE CHIEF
FOR BEING THE CHIEF POLICYMAKER, FOR ADMINISTERING AN
UNCONSTITUTIONAL POLICY WITH RESPECT TO TASERS AND THE
MUNICIPALITY ITSELF FOR FAILING TO PROPERLY TRAIN, EDUCATE,
SELECT ITS OFFICERS.
- KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF YOUR WORK AND
RESEARCH AND INVESTIGATION INTO THIS CASE, WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN
THE METHOD, IN YOUR MIND, FOR OFFICERS TO HELP ADAM TRAMMEL AS
HE WAS IN THE SHOWER, WET, BIG GUY, IN THE MIDST, REPORTEDLY,
OF A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS?
HOW DO YOU DO THAT WHERE YOU TRY TO HELP THIS PERSON?
- CALL FOR STRONGER OFFICERS TO GET HIM OUT OF THE BATHTUB.
CLEAR AND SIMPLE.
- AND HOW DO -- - THEY WERE NOT -- HE WAS NOT
BEING SUSPECTED OF A CRIME.
THIS IS A MENTAL HEALTH CHECK, A WELLNESS CHECK.
SO ONCE YOU KNOW THAT IT'S A WELLNESS CHECK AND THERE MAY BE
A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE, THEN YOU DEAL WITH IT EXACTLY THE WAY
CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAMS DEAL WITH IT ALL THE TIME: STRONGER
OFFICERS WHO'D SIMPLY LIFT HIM OUT OF THE BATHTUB, PERIOD.
YOU KNOW?
FIND ME A POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE COUNTY AREA WHERE THEY
COULDN'T HAVE CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE TO SAY, HEY, YOU GOT
ANY BIG, STRONG GUYS THAT CAN COME OVER?
WE GOT A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.
- WHAT DO YOU HOPE CAN BE LEARNED FROM THIS CASE?
- THAT WE TALK A LOT ABOUT NONLETHAL FORCE AND LETHAL
FORCE.
NONLETHAL FORCE CAN BE INCREDIBLY DEADLY IF YOU DON'T
KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
YOU CAN TAKE A BASEBALL BAT AND USE IT ONCE AND RESTRAIN
SOMEBODY.
BUT IF YOU HIT HIM 30 TIMES IN THE HEAD, YOU MIGHT KILL HIM.
- ROBIN SHELLOW, WE NEED TO LEAVE IT HERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
- YOU'RE WELCOME.
- OUR INSIDE LOOK THIS WEEK FOCUSES ON A NEW PUSH TO
ACKNOWLEDGE FATIGUE AMONG NURSES.
THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NURSING HAS ISSUED RECOMMENDATIONS TO
PROMOTE A RESTED AND ALERT STAFF BECAUSE TIRED NURSES INCREASE
THE RISK OF MEDICAL MISTAKES AND PUTTING THEIR OWN HEALTH AT
RISK.
THE RISK OF ERRORS DOUBLES AFTER WORKING MORE THAN EIGHT HOURS
AND GO UP 3.5 TIMES FOR NURSES WORKING MORE THAN 12 HOURS.
LINDA SCOTT IS DEAN OF THE UW NURSING SCHOOL.
SHE JOINS US THIS WEEK TO TALK MORE ABOUT HER FINDINGS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS AS A MEMBER OF THE ACADEMY OF NURSING.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
- THANK YOU.
I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.
- SO INTERESTING.
YOU DID A NATIONAL STUDY OF NURSES' WORK HOURS.
WHAT DID YOU FIND?
- WE LOOKED AT OVER 11,000 SHIFTS AND WE FOUND JUST WHAT
YOU SAID, THAT RISKS FOR ERROR DOUBLES WITH OVERTIME, ANY HOURS
WORKED AFTER EIGHT, AND AFTER 12 HOURS THEY'RE 3.5 TIMES MORE
LIKELY.
BUT WHAT WE ALSO FOUND IS THAT ERRORS INCREASED WHEN THERE WAS
IN ADD QUITE SLEEP.
- WELL, SURE.
AND YET NURSES REGULARLY, I UNDERSTAND, WORK THESE 12-HOUR
SHIFTS.
HOW COMMON IS THAT IN THE PRACTICE?
- IT'S MORE COMMON.
IT STARTED OFF IN CRITICAL CARE, WITH THE GOAL TO TRY TO REDUCE
THE NUMBER OF HAND OFFS WITH A PATIENT.
BUT WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS EVEN THOUGH NURSES MAY WORK THREE
12-HOUR SHIFTS, THAT THEY MAY WORK ADDITIONAL SHIFTS
ELSEWHERE.
SO THERE'S LITTLE TIME FOR RESPITE.
AND WE ALSO FOUND THAT NURSES, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A 12-HOUR
SHIFT, THEY TEND TO WORK AN HOUR OR TWO BEYOND THAT.
WHEN YOU START THINKING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF CONSECUTIVE WAKE
HOURS, IT BECOMES VERY PROBLEMATIC.
AS ADULTS WE STILL NEED EIGHT HOURS OF SLEEP, AT LEAST, IN A
24-HOUR PERIOD.
AND WHEN YOU DON'T DO THAT AND WHEN YOU HAVE CONSECUTIVE WAKE
HOURS, YOU ALSO HAVE THAT SAME NEUROCOGNITIVE EFFECT THAT YOU
SEE WITH INTOXICATION.
- WOW.
WELL, SO IF THESE LONG SHIFTS ARE AN ISSUE, WHY DON'T
HOSPITALS JUST SHORTEN THE SHIFTS?
- WELL, THAT IS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS, IS TO BEGIN TO
LOOK AT NEW SHIFT WORK PATTERNS RATHER THAN 12-HOUR SHIFTS.
BUT THERE IS ALSO A CONCERN THAT IF THEY SHIFT TO A DIFFERENT
MODEL, THAT THEY COULD POTENTIALLY LOSE STAFF, BECAUSE
FROM A PERSONAL PREFERENCE, NURSES MAY ONLY WANT TO WORK
12-HOUR SHIFTS.
- SO WHAT ARE THE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS?
- SO WHAT WE REALLY WANTED TO DO IS TO HAVE ORGANIZATIONS,
BOTH EMPLOYERS AS WELL AS EMPLOYEES, THE NURSES, TO REALLY
ENGAGE IN GOOD FATIGUE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 12-HOUR SHIFTS, SO IF
YOU'RE GOING TO DO A 12-HOUR SHIFT, HOW DO YOU INCORPORATE
FATIGUE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES WITHIN THAT?
AS AN INDIVIDUAL, DO I COME TO WORK FIT FOR DUTY?
HAVE I HAD ENOUGH SLEEP PRIOR TO THAT WORK SHIFT SO THAT I CAN BE
ALERT AND VIGILANT?
SO IT'S REALLY LOOKING AT OUR CURRENT PRACTICES AND MODIFYING
THEM.
A VERY GOOD AND EFFECTIVE FATIGUE MANAGEMENT STRATEGY IS
STRATEGIC NAPS, YOU KNOW, AND REALLY TAKING A 20-MINUTE NAP
WILL INCREASE YOUR LEVEL OF ALERTNESS AND ALLOW YOU TO BE
AWAKE AND IT WILL BREAK THOSE CONSECUTIVE WAKE HOURS.
- WELL, WITH THAT, HOW WILLING ARE EMPLOYERS IN
ALLOWING THEIR WORKERS TO TAKE CATNAPS DURING THE DAY?
- UNFORTUNATELY THEY'RE NOT.
MOST HAVE HUMAN RESOURCE POLICIES ON THE BOOKS THAT SAY
IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS CAUGHT NAPPING OR SLEEPING ON THE JOB,
IT'S GROUNDS FOR TERMINATION.
BUT YET THERE'S EVIDENCE THAT REALLY SUPPORTS THAT IF YOU GIVE
SOMEONE A RESPITE FROM THE JOB, IF YOU ALLOW THEM TO TAKE A
SHORT NAP, IT ACTUALLY IMPROVES PATIENT SAFETY AS WELL AS NURSE
SAFETY.
- I WOULD THINK SO.
YOU KNOW, THE IDEA THAT TIRED NURSES, YOU KNOW, ARE MORE PRONE
TO MEDICAL MISTAKES DOESN'T INSTILL A LOT OF CONFIDENCE ON
THE PART OF PATIENTS.
IS THIS KIND OF A TOUCHY SUBJECT FOR HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATORS?
- WELL, I THINK IT IS, BUT I THINK IT'S ONE THAT WE CAN NO
LONGER IGNORE.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT NURSES ARE HUMAN.
ALL OF US HAVE THE SAME ISSUE, WHETHER YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, IN
ACADEMIA, YOU'RE IN A HOSPITAL.
SO WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN DO HEALTHY PRACTICES, HOW
WE CAN INCREASE THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF SLEEP SO THAT WE
FUNCTION.
JUST THE LOSS OF AN HOUR OR TWO CAN -- AND YOU DO THAT A FEW
DAYS IN A ROW, YOU ACTUALLY CAN DEVELOP WHAT'S CALLED A
CUMULATIVE SLEEP DEBT.
YOU CAN'T GET THAT BACK.
- BRIEFLY, THE IDEA -- WELL, WE ALL KNOW THAT NURSES ARE THE
BACKBONE OF THE OPERATION.
HOW WELL IS THAT ACKNOWLEDGED BY HOSPITALS MAKING POLICY
DECISIONS ON THEIR BEHALF?
- WELL, NURSES, I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS THAT NURSES ARE
INDEED CRITICAL TO HEALTH CARE DELIVERY.
AND AS AN EMPLOYER, YOU ALSO REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT
YOU HAVE A HEALTHY WORK ENVIRONMENT.
SO WHAT I REALLY HOPE THAT THE ACADEMY'S POSITION PAPER WILL DO
WILL BE A CALL TO ACTION FOR ALL EMPLOYERS TO REALLY LOOK AT
THEIR CURRENT PRACTICES AND MAKE THIS TRULY A YEAR OF THE HEALTHY
NURSE AND BEYOND.
- ALL RIGHT.
LINDA SCOTT, THANKS VERY MUCH.
- THANK YOU.
- IN THIS WEEK'S CLOSER LOOK, WISCONSIN'S POLITICAL DIVIDES.
EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK, PAN
POLITICS PERMEATE TALK RADIO, MEDIA AND ADVERTISING.
NEW RESEARCH IS UNDERWAY TO INVESTIGATE HOW WE GOT HERE.
RESEARCH JUST AWARDED A MAJOR GRANT FROM THE WISCONSIN ALUMNI
RESEARCH FOUNDATION.
THIS WEEK, LEW FRIEDLAND, A PROFESSOR IN THE SCHOOL OF
JOURNALISM IS HERE TO EXPLAIN WHY WE MIGHT BE HEADED FOR A
DEMOCRATIC CRISIS.
LEW, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
SO HOW COULD THE POLARIZATION OF WISCONSIN MEDIA RESULT IN A
DEMOCRATIC CRISIS?
- WELL, THESE DAYS PEOPLE LIVE IN THEIR MEDIA ENVIRONMENTS AND
I THINK MANY OF US KNOW THAT, WE REALIZE IT.
WE ARE ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER, ALL KINDS OF SOCIAL MEDIA.
WE'RE BOMBARDED BY MEDIA OF ALL SORTS.
AND THAT AFFECTS OUR POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT.
HERE IN WISCONSIN I DON'T THINK IT'S A SECRET THAT WE'VE HAD
CONTENTIOUS POLITICS OVER THE LAST AT LEAST EIGHT YEARS OR SO
AND WE BELIEVE THAT MEDIA HAS PROBABLY PLAYED A LARGE ROLE IN
THAT CONTENTION AND WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER IT HAS AND
HOW IT HAS.
- WHAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF KIND OF THE POLARIZATION AND
FRAGMENTATION IN THE MEDIA THAT WE DIGEST HERE IN WISCONSIN?
- WELL, ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING EXAMPLES IN
WISCONSIN IS THAT WE HAVE A UNIQUE ECOLOGY IN THIS STATE
BECAUSE OUR NEWSPAPERS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT STILL IN THIS
STATE, BUT THEY ARE SHRINKING, AS THEY ARE ELSEWHERE.
NEWSPAPERS ARE THE FOUNTAIN OF MOST LOCAL NEWS AND INFORMATION.
SO WHEN NEWSPAPERS SHRINK, STATE HOUSE REPORTING SHRINKS.
WE'VE SEEN A STEADY DECREASE IN STATE HOUSE REPORTERS.
SO THAT'S LESS INFORMATION GOING OUT TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES, LESS
THAT'S BEING REPORTED ON.
WHAT TAKES THE PLACE OF THAT?
WELL, IT'S PARTY COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL MEDIA.
- AND THERE'S ALSO A ROLE FOR, I UNDERSTAND, IN YOUR
INVESTIGATION KIND OF CONSERVATIVE TALK RADIO AND HOW
THAT HELPED SHAPE PARTISAN POLITICS.
- ABSOLUTELY.
I MEAN, MANY PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL
WAS A MAJOR FORCE IN THIS STATE, WITH A CIRCULATION OF ALMOST
300,000.
WELL, OVER THE LAST DECADE IT SHRUNK TO SOMEWHAT ABOVE
100,000.
SO IT SHRUNK CONSIDERABLY STATEWIDE.
AT THE SAME TIME, TALK RADIO HAS BEGUN TO SATURATE THE STATE, NOT
JUST LOCAL TALK, BUT NATIONAL TALK.
70 HOURS TOTAL OF TALK RADIO PER DAY IN WISCONSIN ACROSS THE
ENTIRE STATE.
OF COURSE, THAT'S FROM ALL SOURCES.
AND THAT CHANGES THE POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT IN SOME FAIRLY BASIC
WAYS.
- WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF YOUR RESEARCH?
HOW ARE YOU CONDUCTING IT?
- WE ARE -- WE HAVE THREE BASIC LAYERS TO OUR RESEARCH.
WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT WE CALL THE POLITICAL ECOLOGY OF THE
STATE, THE RANGE OF STATEMENTS OF POLITICAL ACTORS,
POLITICIANS, PRESS RELEASES, THE WAY THAT THEY'VE CONDUCTED THEIR
MEDIA POLITICAL ADVERTISING.
WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT WE CALL THE MEDIA, THE COMMUNICATION
ECOLOGY.
SO HOW HAS TWITTER AFFECTED THE WAY THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
POLITICS?
THE DECLINE OF NEWSPAPERS, THE RISE IN TALK RADIO.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT A SOCIAL LAYER, HOW DO THE BASIC
DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE STATE, WHERE PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED OR WHERE
THEY'RE NOT EMPLOYED, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THEIR POLITICAL
UNDERSTANDING.
- KIND OF GOING BACK TO THE HEAD OF THIS INTERVIEW, WHY IS
IT IMPORTANT THAT WE MEASURE AND UNDERSTAND THIS OVER SUCH A LONG
PERIOD OF TIME?
- WELL, WE ARE IN A PERIOD OF MOMENTOUS CHANGE IN OUR
POLITICAL COMMUNICATION ECOLOGY, AND IF WE DO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE
A NATION WHICH IS -- IN WHICH POLITICS ARE MORE CONTENTIOUS
THAN THEY HAVE BEEN IN QUITE A WHILE, AND I THINK MANY PEOPLE
ON ALL SIDES BELIEVE THAT, THEN UNDERSTANDING OUR COMMUNICATION
ECOLOGY IS A FUNDAMENTAL STARTING POINT TO KNOWING HOW WE
GOT HERE AND POSSIBLY HOW WE CAN BEGIN TO WORK OUR WAY OUT OF IT.
- ALL RIGHT.
WE LEAVE IT THERE.
LEW FRIEDLAND, THANKS VERY MUCH AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE RESEARCH.
- THANK YOU.
- THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR THIS WEEK.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.
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